Diyarbakir Bar Association Chairman Tahir Elci Shot During Public Speech
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (A.W.)—Prominent Kurdish lawyer and President of the Diyarbakir Bar Association Tahir Elci was shot dead today in the Sur district of Diyarbakir during an attack that took place at around 11 a.m.
Tahir Elci at the 2014 Hrant Dink Commemoration Program
Elci was giving a public briefing before the press, calling for an end to the war in the Kurdish regions within a four-months’s time. The press conference was taking place near the four minarets and the historic Diyarbakir wall, a symbol for the city. Elci died from a gunshot to the head.
During the press statement, Elci noted, “In this common site for humanity, we don’t want weapons, conflict, and armed combat.”
Police block the crime scene for the press.
Last month, Elci had argued that the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) was not a terrorist organization, during a televised debate program. Following his statement, he became a target of pro-government media; he was arrested, then released pending trial.
In a press release, the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) blamed the incident on the government, adding that it was a planned assassination.
Elci was a human rights activist. In 2013, he worked on a program commemorating the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The event was organized by the Diyarbakir Bar Association and the Diyarbakir Municipality. In 2014, he spoke at the Hrant Dink Commemoration event in Diyarbakir.
Armenian Weekly correspondent Gulisor Akkum filed this report from Diyarbakir.
Source: Armenian Weekly
Link: Prominent Kurdish Human Rights Lawyer Killed in Diyarbakir