Aysel Tuğluk
Encyclopedia
Aysel Tuğluk is a Zaza
speaking Kurdish
politician of the former Democratic Society Party
(DTP) in Turkey. She graduated in law from Istanbul University and then worked as a lawyer. She was previously a member of the executive council of the Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV).
As well as being a member of the Turkish Human Rights Association
(İHD), she is a founder member of the Patriotic Women's Association (YKD). Elected to the Turkish Parliament in 2007, as an MP for Diyarbakir
, she is regarded as a member of the moderate wing of the party.
She previously acted as a lawyer for Abdullah Öcalan
.
In 2007 she was sentenced to 18 months in jail , when she was DTP chairwoman, over the distribution of party leaflets in the Kurdish language, a violation of the law that requires all political literature be in Turkish.
On 5 February 2009 Tuğluk was again sentenced, this time to 18 months in prison by a court in
the southeastern city of Diyarbakir
for violating anti-terrorism laws by referring to PKK fighters as 'heroes to some' at a rally in 2006.
Aysel Tuğluk's status as an elected Member of Parliament gave her legal immunity from going to prison. But in December 2009 the Turkish Constitutional Court stripped her of her Member of Parliament status, and banned her from public politics for five years. The Constitutional Court also outlawed the DTP
political party. The Constitutional Court's decision was based on a judgment that she and the DTP have affiliations with the PKK, an organization that does not disavow violence for attaining political objectives. She and the DTP continue to deny such affiliations, and they disavow violence.
She was re-elected to Parliament in the 12 June 2011 general election.
Zazaki language
Zazaki is an Indo-European language spoken primarily in eastern Turkey. According to Ethnologue, the language is a part of the northwestern group of the Iranian section of the Indo-European family. Zazaki shares many features, structures, and vocabulary with Gorani, Talyshi and other Caspian...
speaking Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
politician of the former Democratic Society Party
Democratic Society Party
The Democratic Society Party was a Kurdish Kurdish nationalist political party in Turkey. The party considered itself social democratic, and had observer status in the Socialist International. It was considered to be the successor of the Democratic People's Party...
(DTP) in Turkey. She graduated in law from Istanbul University and then worked as a lawyer. She was previously a member of the executive council of the Foundation for Society and Legal Studies (TOHAV).
As well as being a member of the Turkish Human Rights Association
Human Rights Association (Turkey)
The Human Rights Association is an NGO for advancing Human rights in Turkey, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Ankara.- History :...
(İHD), she is a founder member of the Patriotic Women's Association (YKD). Elected to the Turkish Parliament in 2007, as an MP for Diyarbakir
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
, she is regarded as a member of the moderate wing of the party.
She previously acted as a lawyer for Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan
Abdullah Öcalan , Kurdish founder of the terrorist organization called Kurdistan Workers' Party in 1978.Öcalan was captured in Nairobi and extradited to the Turkish security force, and sentenced to death under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code, which concerns the formation of armed gangs...
.
In 2007 she was sentenced to 18 months in jail , when she was DTP chairwoman, over the distribution of party leaflets in the Kurdish language, a violation of the law that requires all political literature be in Turkish.
On 5 February 2009 Tuğluk was again sentenced, this time to 18 months in prison by a court in
the southeastern city of Diyarbakir
Diyarbakir
Diyarbakır is one of the largest cities in southeastern Turkey...
for violating anti-terrorism laws by referring to PKK fighters as 'heroes to some' at a rally in 2006.
Aysel Tuğluk's status as an elected Member of Parliament gave her legal immunity from going to prison. But in December 2009 the Turkish Constitutional Court stripped her of her Member of Parliament status, and banned her from public politics for five years. The Constitutional Court also outlawed the DTP
Democratic Society Party
The Democratic Society Party was a Kurdish Kurdish nationalist political party in Turkey. The party considered itself social democratic, and had observer status in the Socialist International. It was considered to be the successor of the Democratic People's Party...
political party. The Constitutional Court's decision was based on a judgment that she and the DTP have affiliations with the PKK, an organization that does not disavow violence for attaining political objectives. She and the DTP continue to deny such affiliations, and they disavow violence.
She was re-elected to Parliament in the 12 June 2011 general election.