Turkey: Protest at funeral condemned by presidency

By Sinan Uslu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s presidency on Thursday firmly condemned a protest at the funeral of an ex-lawmaker’s mother.

“I would like to express on behalf of the presidency that we condemn this incident in the clearest way,” presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said, speaking at a routine press briefing at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara.

He called the “inhuman attitude” showed during the incident unacceptable.

“This is an ugly approach that in no way matches our values of belief, culture, and civilization. Respect for the dead is one of the most fundamental elements of our faith and our civilization,” Kalin added.

On Wednesday, in Incek, Ankara, a group of 20-25 men staged an angry protest at the funeral of Hatun Tugluk, the mother of former Deputy Aysel Tugluk.

Tugluk, who is a deputy co-chair of the Democratic Peoples’ Party (HDP), is currently on trial on terrorism charges and was released from prison to attend the service.

Tugluk’s mother, who had been attending the trial, died on Wednesday morning, age 80.

She was buried at Incek but after the angry reaction, her family decided to move her remains to Tunceli, in eastern Anatolia.