Kavala’s statement on ‘Türkeş’: ‘He has felt the pain his father endured closely’

Osman Kavala, a defendant detained in the Gezi trial, has evaluated the reactions following the request by AKP Ankara MP and Head of the Turkish Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Tuğrul Türkeş, to visit him and the statements Türkeş made.

In a written statement, Osman Kavala addressed Tuğrul Türkeş’s announcement that he would visit him and the criticisms directed at Türkeş.

'PUTTING ME IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS ALPARSLAN TÜRKEŞ...'

Kavala's message is as follows:

"I found it strange that the words in Mr. Tuğrul Türkeş’s statement regarding his intention to visit me in prison—'I am the child of a father who spent 7 years of his life in prison'—were interpreted as putting me in the same category as the late Alparslan Türkeş.

It is clear that with these words regarding his inner world, Mr. Türkeş wanted to explain that having closely felt the pain his father endured, including being subjected to torture, and having experienced this heavy ordeal, has made him sensitive to the suffering of others.

The contributions people make to social life are not of equal value; some are in more important positions than others. However, in order to live in a civilized manner in a country where the rule of law prevails, it must be accepted that the life and rights of every individual are equally valuable.

When the lives of people who are seen as 'the other' or not considered important are deemed worthless, indifference is shown toward the injustices they are subjected to. An environment that encourages violence is created, and arbitrary punishments are legitimized."

WHAT HAPPENED?

Türkeş had stated that he wanted to visit Kavala in prison and had criticized his own party with harsh words. Comparisons to Türkeş’s father, Alparslan Türkeş, had also sparked reactions from the MHP wing.