Turkish government pushes security bill amid opposition's outcry

The AKP remains intent on passing a bill to give police near-unrestricted powers, prompting opposition parties to circle the wagons The leaders of all three opposition parties represented in parliament, as well as grassroots groups, have upped the ante to prevent the adoption of a controversial homeland security bill, as the General Assembly finally began debating the motion yesterday after previous discussions were postponed.

Addressing their respective parliamentary groups just a few hours before Parliament?s General Assembly was to begin debates on the bill, main opposition Republican People?s Party (CHP) leader Kemal K?l?çdaro?lu, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli and Peoples? Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirta? excoriated the prime minister and the government for their perceived ill will which, according to the three opposition leaders, prompted them to draft such a bill.

The CHP?s meeting was attended by the families of the victims of disproportionate use of force by police, including the family of Berkin Elvan and Ali ?smail Korkmaz. Elvan, a 15-year-old teenager, died in March 2014 after languishing in a coma for 269 days due to a head injury caused by a teargas canister during the Gezi protests in Istanbul in June 2013. Korkmaz, 19, was beaten with sticks by plainclothes men during the Gezi protests in Eski?ehir on June 2, 2013. He died on July 10 after spending 38 days in a coma.

Addressing the families, K?l?çdaro?lu said: ?All democratic, patriotic and decent citizens of this country, not just CHP members, are there for you. Since 2007, 183 persons have lost their lives due to police bullets. Why would 183 of our children lose their lives? The police are there to assure a...