Muhsin Kunur, a pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) member and the former mayor of Şırnak’s Silopi district, who has been in prison over terror charges for the past 9 months, was not allowed by Turkish government authorities to attend the funeral of his mother who died on Tuesday.
Sentenced to 3 years, 1 month and 15 days in jail on accusation of committing crime on behalf of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in 2012, Kunur was put in Elazığ prison after his conviction was upheld by the Courts of Appeals 9 months ago.
Kunur’s 87-year-old mother Hayic Kunur passed away after suffering from multiple organ failure at Batman State Hospital late Tuesday. Lawyers representing the former mayor submitted, to no avail, an official request to the Elazig Public Prosecutor’s Office, seeking permission to attend the funeral. The prosecutor’s office declined the request over safety concerns during transportation.
The government has been criticized for stepping up a crackdown on Kurdish politicians. There are currently 11 HDP deputies behind bars in Turkey. Trustees have been appointed to dozens of municipalities in the country’s predominantly Kurdish Southeast, while hundreds of local Kurdish politicians have been arrested on terror charges. (SCF with turkeypurge.com)
