Turkish police detain HDP MP Semra Güzel

Pro-Kurdish HDP deputy Semra Güzel has been detained after parliament lifted her immunity on accusations of terrorism.

Friday September 02 2022 08:29 pm

Duvar English

Turkish police detained pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Semra Güzel over alleged terrorism charges, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said on Sept. 2.

The move came after the Turkish parliament on March 1 voted to lift the deputy's immunity over accusations that she was linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Soylu claimed that the police caught Güzel with a fake passport and an alleged immigrant smuggler alongside her on their way to the northwestern province of Edirne near the border with Greece.

Sevgili Kılıçdaroğlu,
Sana üzücü bir haberimiz var:
HDPKK’lı Semra Güzel enselendi.

Güzel, sahte pasaport ve A.G. isimli Göçmen Kaçakçısı ve örgüt propagandası yapan kişi ile Edirne’ye giderken MİT ve İstanbul Emniyeti'nin başarılı operasyonu ile yakalandı pic.twitter.com/dPstjJV8Yd
— Süleyman Soylu (@suleymansoylu) September 2, 2022

During the peace process between the Turkish state and the group, Güzel visited a PKK camp in 2014, and she was photographed standing next to PKK member Volkan Bora. The HDP said that the visit was at the behest of the state, while the ruling coalition has accused her of membership in the group.

During the commission process, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), opposition İYİ (Good) Party and far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) voted in favor of lifting the deputy's immunity. This attitude did not change in the General Assembly voting either.

Topics Semra Güzel HDP parliamentary immunity