PM Pushes to Restore Death Penalty

Necdet İpekyüz, a former president of Diyarbakir Medical Chamber and currently board member of Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, is one of the outspoken critics on the death penalty issue, currently brought into Turkey's political agenda by PM Erdogan.

We interview İpekyüz concerning the ethical and political implications of death penalty in Turkey, as well as its potential effects on the Kurdish question. 

İpekyüz explained bianet the Kurdish anxiety of being potential targets for execution and its complications on the Kurdish issue.

"Death penalty always perplexed the Kurdish issue"

We left behind 62 days since hunger strikes began in Turkey. PM Erdogan call them as "show" and "blackmail". How do you read this along with his latest comments on death penalty?

I regard the idea of restoring death death penalty with a sense of concern. I especially see it as blackmail when it is brought up with the Kurdish issue. 

Death penalty would certainly provoke more violence in the country. What kind of challenges would death penalty bring to the Kurdish issue?

We observed that the politics related to military and security only perplexed the Kurdish question. We have observed this not only for the past 30 years but ever since the Kurdish issue emerged a century ago. Militarist and security related politics only perplexed the Kurdish issue. Everybody in Turkey should understand that death penalty is irretrievably out of the political agenda.

"Populist politics may also lead to war"

One of the basic duties of the state is to protect individual rights and freedoms. How ethical is it that the government would take people's lives?

Life is the basic human right. At this point, it is unacceptable for a government to take away the right to live from anybody. 

These discussions prove the Turkish government's arbitrary attitude. The government fabricated a crisis with no solid justification. Turkey abolished the death penalty at a period when Öcalan was first put in prison. I don't think there is a way explain why we should bring it up now.  

PM Erdogan insists that there is a popular demand for death penalty. Can we negotiate on the basic human rights based on popular demand?

If politician did whatever people told them, they would certainly get more votes, but it would bring never societal progress. 

Such a question on death penalty would divide the society in Turkey. How will you explain this? Politicians should consider this. Populist politics may also lead to war.

"Death penalty causes anxiety amid Turkey's Kurds"

Before the referrendum in 2010, Erdogan commemorated the people executed during the military coup period in Turkey. Now he leans towards the position of junta leaders...

There is no political collective memory in Turkey. People were executed in this country for the sake of populist demands. Someone should be held accountable for this. 

We see PM Erdogan advocating for death penalty now, but we should also remember how he used to read aloud death row prisoner's letters in his public speeches. 

How do Kurds perceive the death penalty debate in Turkey?

The debate is a source of anxiety for Kurds. It almost turns into a blackmail. If we want peace, we shouldn't even debate on death penalty. 

Most Kurds feel like they might the next person on the row. There shouldn't be any more executions in this country. We suffered long enough, lost even our prime ministers. When we look back, no one seems to approve these executions now. 

PM Erdogan's speeches are highly influential. This influence isn't always positive. Politicians should follow the common sense. (EKN)