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Turkish nationalist politician jailed over ‘hunting for Armenians’ remarks

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artk.thumbA Turkish nationalist politician has been jailed over controversial remarks suggesting “hunting for Armenians” after a concert last year by a renowned Armenian pianist in the ancient city of Ani in the eastern province of Kars, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Garo Paylan had filed a lawsuit against Tolga Adıgüzel, the Kars provincial head of the “Idealist Hearths” (Ülkü Ocakları), which has organic ties to the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), after Adıgüzel suggested “going out to hunt Armenians in the streets of Kars” as a counter-move after the concert.

The Kars third criminal court of first instance initially sentenced Adıgüzel to six months in prison, along with a pecuniary punishment of 11,240 Turkish Liras on May 25 on charges of “overtly insulting some segments of the public based on difference of social class, race, religion, sect, sexuality or region.” The court then increased the sentence to seven months and fifteen days as the crime was committed via the media, which carries a heavier sentence.

Paylan described the court ruling as “hopeful” both for Armenians and for all parts of society in Turkey that believe in social peace and justice, vowing to fight against “all kinds of racist remarks and hate speech.”

World-renowned Armenian pianist Tigran Hamasyan and the Yereven State Chamber Choir gave a concert at Ani, on the Turkish border with Armenia, on June 21, 2015.

After the concert, Adıgüzel issued a press statement “strongly” condemning the performance, questioning its “aims,” and accusing its supporters of “treason.”

“Should we go out for hunting for Armenians in the streets of Kars? Can we give a concert at a place that they consider holy, or march our janissary band?” he had said.

Syrian Army hunting terrorists in Hama Province

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f56d171d852f4e_56d171d852f85.thumbThe Syrian Army announced on Saturday that its troops’ anti terrorism offensives in the Northern parts of Hama province have inflicted large casualties on the militants.
“The Syrian army soldiers stormed the militant groups’ defense lines and strongholds on the axis of Tal Hawir, Dhahrat Aliyeh, Tal al- Bazaq, Morek, Souran, Jeleen and Lataminah, which claimed the lives of many terrorists,” the army said, according to the Fars News Agency .

“The militant groups’ military hardware also sustained major damage in the attacks,” the army added.

Battlefield sources said on Friday that the Syrian Air Force bombed the gathering centers of the ISIL terrorists in a desert-like region at the border of Hama and Homs provinces.

“The ISIL concentration centers in Wadi al-Azib region in the Southeastern part of Hama province and near the Northern part of Homs province came under the heavy bombardments of the Syrian army’s aircraft, which claimed the lives of dozens of the terrorists,” the sources said.