Commonplace fascism

The investigation is being conducted as a breach of the Assemblies and Demonstration Marches Law. Statements have been taken from 23 people in the probe into the incident, which Ankara has dubbed “attempted harassment.”
 
Alican Uludağ
 
With reference to the attack launched on the funeral of detained HDP Deputy Co-Chair Aysel Tuğluk’s mother, Hatun Tuğluk, Gölbaşı Republic Chief Prosecution has found the incident not to have been “organised”. The public prosecution is not treating the attack as a “hate crime”, and is conducting the investigation as a crime in breach of the Assemblies and Demonstration Marches Law number 2911. The prosecution considers the defence by the group responsible for the attack that, “We thought the event was a terrorist funeral” to constitute grounds for invoking “unjust provocation”. As the mortal remains of Aysel Tuğluk’s mother, Hatun Tuğluk, were being taken to İncek Cemetery for burial, the procession came under attack. Gölbaşı Prosecution, which is conducting the investigation into the incident which Ankara Provincial Governate has dubbed “attempted harassment,” had taken statements from nineteen people until yesterday. Additionally, it has been learnt that, with interrogation under custody of four suspects continuing, six people are wanted in connection with the incident.
The prosecution, giving information about the investigation, has stated that the time was between 7 and 8 pm due to the lengthy process of bringing Aysel Tuğluk from prison and, with it growing dark, the rumour was spread in the quarter that a terrorist funeral was being held and, for this reason, “shouting and crying” was directed at the funeral participants but there was no actual attack. The prosecution is also proceeding against the suspects for breach of the Assemblies and Demonstration Marches Law number 2911. The prosecution is not currently contemplating charging the attackers for “hate crime” or more serious offences. In fact, the prosecution is treating “unjust provocation” as a mitigating factor in favour of the suspects. The defences in the suspects’ statements, “We thought this was a terrorist funeral” and “Sırrı Sürreyya Önder swore at us” will be used to justify this.