BDP head may face fine for army words

ISTANBUL – Anadolu Agency

BDP co-chair Demirtaş criticized Army head Necdet Özel, saying ‘you are just a corporal for us,’ in the row over mother tongue education. DHA Photo

The High Court of Appeals has overturned a local court’s ruling that opposition Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş’s criticism of Chief of General Staff Necdet Özel was within the limits of freedom of expression. The decision paves the way for a possible fine being levelled at Demirtaş.

Demirtaş had strongly criticized Özel for making a statement in Jan. last year, in which Özel said “he doesn’t find education in Kurdish appropriate.”

“The chief of staff comes out and says ‘No education in mother tongue.’ Who asked you to come out with an answer? You should first give an account of the massacres. His Royal Highness Pasha comes out and showers orders on us. Although your title is full general, you are just a corporal for us,” Demirtaş said in a speech delivered on Jan. 7, 2012, during a party meeting.

Özel made an official complaint to attempt to open up a compensation case for 50,000 Turkish Liras.

An Ankara court refused to consider Chief of General Staff Gen. Necdet Özel’s bid to open a compensation case against Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and evaluated Demirtaş’s words in the scope of freedom of expression. The higher court said the statement was not related to freedom of expression and that it aimed at insulting Özel.