Bipartisan resolution of US House members calls on prosecution of Erdoğan's body guards
Visit of Turkey’s President Erdoğan to USA last week was marked with his security guards’ violent attack on the protestors outside of the Residence of the Ambassador of Turkey to Washington, DC.
Shortly after Erdoğan met with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (May 16), he headed to the Residency of the Ambassador near Sheridan Circle, where Erdoğan was also caught on tape as the altercation between the guards of Erdoğan, along with his civilian supporters, and the protestors across the street who carried YPG flags and banners saying ‘Free Demirtaş’.
While a video released by Voice of America showed the brutal act of the security guards against the protestors, who were left seriously wounded, US State Department released a statement condemning the violence perpetrated against ‘individuals peacefully practicing their rights of freedom of expression and freedom of assembling’.
An audio analysis of the video of Erdoğan at the site also raised speculations about whether he actually personally commanded his guards to launch the attack on protestors.
In addition to statements of the US State Department and some senators, including John McCain, members of House of Representatives have also submitted a draft resolution, criticizing Erdoğan’s government in handling the issue and calling on all involved to be prosecuted.
As CNN’s Senior Congressional Producer Deirdre Walsh reported on Thursday (May 25), the measure co-signed by both democrats and republicans in the House said: "the attack last week against the protesters fell into a pattern of similar behavior by the Erdoğan government and sent a dangerous message that this ideology of suppression has a place among the NATO powers, an alliance built to protect democracy and basic rights against those who would impose the opposite upon the world."
"We are introducing this bipartisan resolution today to make it clear that last week's unprovoked attack on peaceful protesters by Turkish security forces on American soil must not go unanswered and that those responsible must face justice," said the four House members – House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Eliot En (D–NY), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), House Minority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) – in their joint statement.
According to report of CNN, the House will be voting on the resolution in June if it is passed at the House Foreign Affairs Committee today (May 25).
Two guards of Turkey’s President were reported to have been taken into custody on the day of the incident and released the same day due to their diplomatic immunity. The resolution calls on this immunity to be lifted for those security officers who were involved in beating up of protestors.
In response to summoning of its ambassador by US State Department over the issue, Turkey also summoned US ambassador in Ankara, complaining about 'aggressive' act of US police officers.
Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/abd-kongresi-turkiye-yi-kinamaya-hazirlaniyor-161167.html