CHP chief chides MP for condolence visit

BEIJING - Hürriyet Daily News

Hüseyin Aygün is under fire for visitng the family of Sakine Cansız in Tunceli.

A condolence visit main opposition party lawmaker Hüseyin Aygün paid to the family of Sakine Cansız, a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) who was assassinated in Paris last week along with two other activists, has drawn a reaction from the party chairman.

“In politics, everyone should behave with responsibility. There is a sense of responsibility and this is not a hollow concept. A political party member should abide by the principles and rules set by his or her party,” Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), told Ankara bureau media outlet chiefs yesterday in Beijing.

Aygün expressed his condolences to Metin Cansız, the brother of Sakine Cansız, during his visit to France, announcing his visit through his Twitter account. He also posted a picture showing him extending his condolences.

Sakine Cansız, a prominent figure of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party’s (PKK) European wing, Leyla Söylemez and Fidan Doğan were murdered in an execution-style hit last week amid a new round of talks between the Turkish government and Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the PKK.

Kılıçdaroğlu said he did not talk to Aygün about the issue and received the information from the media.
Highlighting that he needs more information on Aygün’s move, Kılıçdaroğlu declined to comment on whether he would take disciplinary action against the Tunceli deputy. “We’ll move within the framework of our principles,” he said.