Istanbul, Turkey – Two individuals were apprehended by Turkish police on Sunday in connection with an armed attack on the Sultangazi district office of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. The primary suspect, identified only as M.K., was captured after being linked to the attack through a vehicle with counterfeit registration plates. Another individual, T.Ç., who was in communication with M.K., was also taken into custody, while a third suspect, I.G., is still at large.
The attack on the DEM Party office occurred on Saturday around 12:20pm, involving gunfire directed at the branch office. Following an investigation by the İstanbul police’s Anti-Terrorism Branch, M.K. was identified and arrested. Police disclosed that M.K. had a previous criminal record, including offenses related to intentional injury, forgery, and property damage.
The assault on the DEM Party office sparked outrage and protests from the party and its supporters. Co-chair of the Sultangazi branch office, Faruk Kaya, condemned the attack, emphasizing that it not only targeted the party but also the people of Turkey. Kaya urged local authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, warning that failure to solve the crime would imply complicity.
In response to the attack, DEM Party MP Çiçek Otlu characterized it as part of a larger pattern of violence aimed at activists and the Kurdish community. Otlu accused the government of enabling street gangs to target revolutionaries and the Kurdish Freedom Movement, drawing parallels to previous assaults on party offices. She affirmed that the attack would not deter the party’s dedication to social justice.
The protest against the attack garnered support from various organizations, including the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), and representatives from the Republican People’s Party (CHP). Many speakers denounced the violent incident as a reflection of the escalating political tensions in Turkey. The ESP’s Sultangazi branch co-chair, Gamze Toprak, highlighted a history of violence against political activists, asserting that those responsible for the attack were complicit in the silence following the murder of Deniz Poyraz.
Deniz Poyraz, a member of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), was tragically killed in a politically motivated attack on 17 June 2021 at the HDP’s İzmir branch office. She was shot and killed by Onur Gencer, a far-right nationalist with alleged ties to extremist groups. The incident underscored the ongoing challenges faced by political activists in Turkey.