AKP's Ekinci makes 'Demirtaş' statement! 'No longer a criminal'

Making statements regarding the discussions that began in the public sphere following the PKK's dissolution on May 12, AKP Istanbul MP Azmi Ekinci stated that he considers the possibility of the PKK reversing its decision to be low and expressed his belief that the process will be successful.

Making statements to Rudaw, Ekinci also gave signals of release for former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been imprisoned for approximately 9 years.

The highlights from Ekinci's statements are as follows:

“The founder of this organization is Mr. Öcalan. Its founder and leader made a call. He stated that the PKK has completed its term, that it has been repeating itself since the 90s, and that the PKK has become meaningless with an approach akin to a blood feud. Therefore, he declared that it should dissolve itself. In other words, for Abdullah Öcalan, this organization has been ended by the leader who founded it. I do not think the PKK and its components will object to this after Abdullah Öcalan's statement, but even if they did, from this point on, these individuals would become marginalized, are doomed to melt away, and would not be successful. The toothpaste is out of the tube. From now on, whoever stands against this, whoever stands against this wind, will be finished.”

'IT WOULD NOT BE RIGHT TO STILL TREAT DEMİRTAŞ AS A CRIMINAL'

“Now, blood feuds are experienced, then people sit at the peace table and peace is made. The requirements of that peace are fulfilled. Now, there is a similar situation here. The organization has now made the decision to lay down arms and dissolve itself. It took this decision for a Turkey without terrorism and to ensure the construction of a democratic society. After taking this decision, the blood feud is now over. From now on, its requirements will be fulfilled. As I said, the issue of a new constitution, that is, the work to be done at the center of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. Subsequently, when certain changes are made to the constitution, certain things that were previously considered crimes will no longer be crimes. In other words, when a person abandons their own mistake, there is no point in treating them as if they are still persisting in that mistake.

'HE CAN RETURN TO POLITICS'

This has not happened anywhere in the world, nor will it. This is something that only mindless and irrational people would do. For what crimes was Selahattin Demirtaş sentenced? In the current conjuncture, since the conditions of that day have disappeared, it would not be right to still treat Selahattin Demirtaş as a criminal. Moreover, he himself supported the process from beginning to end and has declared this many times. He is one of the people I think will contribute to this in the coming period in Turkish politics. Demirtaş and people like him can also return to politics and can be actors in politics.”