Berdan Öztürk

Berdan Öztürk
MP
Member of the Grand National Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 June 2015
ConstituencyAğrı (June 2015, Nov 2015, 2018)
Diyarbakır (2023)
Co-Chair of the Democratic Society Congress
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 2017
Serving with Leyla Güven
Personal details
Born1 May 1980
Tutak, Turkey
NationalityTurkey Turkish
Political partyPeoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party)
(2023-present)
Other political
affiliations		Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP)
(2015-2023)
Alma materMarmara University
OccupationPolitician

Berdan Öztürk (born 1 May 1980 in Tutak) is a Turkish politician of Kurdish descent who is from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), who has served as a Member of Parliament for the electoral district of Ağrı since 7 June 2015.

Early life and career

Öztürk graduated from Marmara University Faculty of Law. After a year in legal work experience, he pursued a master's degree in the University of London, specialising in International Arbitration and Commercial Law. He is a freelance lawyer since 2011 and is currently pursuing a Doctorate.[1]

Political career

In the June 2015 general election, Öztürk was elected as a Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey representing the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) for Ağrı.[2] He was re-elected in the snap elections of November 2015 general elections,[3] and the 2018 parliamentary elections.[4] During the 8th congress of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) on the 16 September 2017, he and Leyla Güven were elected its Co-Chairs.[5]

Prosecution

In 2016 an investigation was launched against Öztürk for participating in a funeral of five militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). He was acquitted in May 2018.[6] Due to a statement concerning the Turkish invasion of north eastern Syria he is investigated for terrorist propaganda since 2019.[7] The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) condemned his prosecution and demanded an explanation from the Turkish authorities.[8] On the 17 March 2021, the Turkish state prosecutor before the Court of Cassation Bekir Şahin filed a lawsuit before the Constitutional Court demanding for him and 686 other HDP politicians a five-year ban for political activities.[9] The lawsuit was returned to the prosecutors office on the 31 March, as the indictment did not meet the legal requirements.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Biyografi". Haberler.com. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  2. ^ "AĞRI SEÇİM SONUÇLARI - 1 KASIM 2015 GENEL SEÇİM SONUÇLARI". secim.haberler.com. Retrieved 2021-04-04.
  3. ^ "Ağrı Seçim Sonuçları - Genel Seçim 2018 Ağrı Sonucu". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  4. ^ "Ağrı Seçim Sonuçları - Genel Seçim 2018 Ağrı Sonucu". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). 2019-05-11. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  5. ^ "English – DEMOKRATİK TOPLUM KONGRESİ" (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2020-04-02.
  6. ^ SCF (2018-05-08). "Turkish court gives pro-Kurdish HDP's Taşdemir suspended sentence for 'terror propaganda'". Stockholm Center for Freedom. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
  7. ^ "Pro-Kurdish leaders investigated by Turkey for opposing Syrian offensive". Ahval. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  8. ^ "Turkey: Harassment of several HRDs as a reprisal for their calls for peace and respect of human rights in the context of the "Operation Peace Spring"". International Federation for Human Rights. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  9. ^ "HDP indictment seeks political ban for 687 members, including Demirtaş, Buldan and Sancar". Bianet. Archived from the original on 2021-03-18. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
  10. ^ "Turkish court sends indictment seeking ban of pro-Kurdish party back to prosecutor". Reuters. 2021-03-31. Retrieved 2021-04-04.