31 January 2019•Update: 31 January 2019
By Sertac Bulur and Orhan Onur Gemici
ANKARA
For years parliamentarians from Turkey’s opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), known for its links to the PKK terrorist group, have been documented attending funerals for known terrorists.
HDP deputies, seeking to paint the terrorist group members as “heroic” by attending the funerals, often had arguments with Turkish security forces trying to keep the peace.
At a 1986 meeting of the terrorist group, the PKK decided to unilaterally declare dead terrorists to be "martyrs."
Since then, the group has been sending aid to dead terrorists' families, compiled photo albums as tributes, and dedicated further terrorist attacks to the slain terrorists.
The terrorist group also used the photos of slain terrorists in their publications and sought support via social media.
HDP deputies, who see the calls of the terrorist group PKK as orders, attended the funerals of the slain terrorists.
HDP deputies used immunity to hinder security forces
While attending those funerals, the HDP deputies used their parliamentary immunity to try to hinder security forces from carrying out their duties.
The HDP deputies’ attendance at the funeral services and burials were documented in both photos and videos.
Terrorists’ funerals attended by HDP deputies
Attending the funeral of PKK terrorist Hulya Eroglu -- codenamed Delal Amed -- on Nov. 18 and 19, 2017 were HDP Batman Deputy Feleknas Uca, Agri Deputy Berdan Ozturk, Hakkari Deputy Leyla Guven, former Diyarbakir Deputy Sibel Yigitalp, former Sirnak Deputy Leyla Birlik, former Van Deputy Nadir Yildirım, and former Mus Deputy Ahmet Yildirim
On July 31, 2018, HDP Diyarbakir Deputy Hisyar Ozsoy visited the family of terrorist Nuran Er -- codenamed Gunaz-Ege-Turk -- who was killed in September 2017 by a Turkish security operation in Diyarbakir.
Another Diyarbakir deputy, Remziye Tosun, attended the funeral of terrorist Mazlum Ceker -- codenamed Resit Amed -- on July 24, 2018.
Tosun also attended the funeral of terrorist Mehmet Yakisir -- codenamed Cudi Zaza -- on July 18, 2018.
On Wednesday, at the start of an event in the southeastern Mardin province introducing HDP mayoral candidates, attendees stood in silence for slain terrorists.
