“Snowden's Leaks May Require A New Investigation into Roboski”

Tahir Elçi, President of Diyarbakır Bar Association, interpreted the news on NSA’s providing information about Roboski Massacre and stated that records should be reinvestigated, adding, in case that the amenables are detected and correspondingly a new evidence found out, nolle prosequi of Roboski Massacre may be revoked. 

Today, Der Spiegel provided information about documents archive from revealed by CIA whistleblower Edward Snowden in the article entitled “A Two-Faced Friendship: Turkey Is 'Partner and Target' for the NSA”. In the article it is claimed that along with supplying information by NSA about PKK on first hours of January 2012, there is a long-term collaboration. In addition, it is asserted that NSA spied on phone calls of PKK suspects both within the boundaries of Turkey and outside and shared the data with Turkey. 

Elçi: Spying is a scandal

Having talked to bianet about the issue, Tahir Elçi, lawyer of Roboski families and at the same time President of Diyarbakır Bar Associations, argued that it should be investigated who are the informed about spying. 

“After the ruling of nolle prosequi, Roboski Massacre remained on the Constitutional Court as an individual application. If any evidence found out, nolle prosequi may revoked and an investigation into Roboski Massacre may be filed. 

“It is crucial to detect the individuals who are amenable to the spying in Turkey and who are informed of the spying.”

Elçi interpreted NSA’s spying within the boundaries of Turkey and sharing the information with authorities in Turkey is a “scandal”.

“NSA can spy outside Turkey. However, clauses of spying in Turkey are clearly described in Anti-Terror Law and Criminal Procedure Act. If an international power spies on Turkey and provide information to authorities in Turkey, it is overtly the violation of domestic and constitutional law. There is no justification for this crime,” he said. 

Statements by President, Government and Foreign Ministry

Following the news article published in Der Spiegel, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Government Spokesman Bülent Arınç, and Foreign Ministry separately made a statement.

“Countries with strong intelligence service in the world can spy into other countries,” Erdoğan said and Arıç stated that chargé d’affair was invited to Foreign ministry and explained everything. 

Foreign Ministry stated: “If the claims are verified, this kind of initiations can no longer be accepted. And these initiations are against the alliance and close relations between two countries.” (EA/MUY/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.