HDP demands parliamentary investigation on civilians killed during curfew in Cizre

HDP Şırnak deputies Hasan Özgüneş, Hüseyin Kaçmaz and Nuran İmir submitted a motion demanding the establishment of a Parliamentary Investigation Commission to probe into the death of 21 civilians who lost their lives during the curfew in Cizre on September 4-12, 2015. Among the civilians killed were Muhammed Tahir Yaramış, who was only 35 days old, and Cemile Çağrıga, who was 10 years old.

The motion has been submitted “in order to carry out a trial process concerning the violations of the right to life in Cizre in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with international human rights and based on Article 98 of the Constitution, and Articles 104 and 105 of the Rules of Procedure of the Turkish parliament.”

VERDICT OF NON-PROSECUTION DESPITE EVIDENCE

The motion said that Turkey is obliged to respect “right to life”, “freedom to seek justice”, “right to a fair trial” and ” legality of crimes and punishments”, which are the basic articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which Turkey signed in 1954.

The motion stated that although six years have passed since curfews and serious violations of rights against those who lost their lives in the Cizre district of Şırnak, while most of the investigations have resulted in verdicts of non-prosecution. “In many cases, it has been claimed that the perpetrators could not be found, and courts issued a permanent search warrant for the defendants. Although there is clear evidence in most of the cases regarding the deaths, the evidence was ignored, and non-prosecution decisions were issued.”

‘CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY’

The motion underlined that inconclusive investigations and non-prosecution decisions are not only unlawful but also a crime against humanity. “This crime against humanity cannot be designated as ‘unsolved’ and covered up with impunity. It is essential to establish an Investigation Commission in order to carry out a proper legal process in the cases concerning those who lost their lives during and after the curfews of 6 years ago and to determine these human rights violations and the measures to be taken.

The names of the 21 people who lost their lives during the curfew are as follows:

Mehmet Emin Levent (21), Hacı Ata Borcin (70), Gadban (Xetban) Bulbul (78), Sait Çağdavul (19), Muhammed Tahir Yaramış (35 days old), Cemile Çagirga (10), Osman Çağlı (18), İbrahim Çiçek (80), Meryem Süne (53), Özgür Taşkın (17), Seyit Eşref Erdin (59), Zeynep Taşkın (18), Maşallah Edin (35), Mehmet Sait Nayci (17), Selman Ağar (10), Bünyamin İrci (14), Mehmet Dökmen (71), Bahattin Sevinik (50), Suphi Saral (50), Mehmet Erdoğan (75) and Şahin Açık (70)