Cengiz Çiçek
Cengiz Çiçek (born 1978 Tunceli, Turkey) is a lawyer and politician of the Green Left Party (YSP). Since June 2023, he is a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
Early life and education[edit]
Cengiz Çiçek was born in Tunceli in 1978 into an Alevi-Kurdish family. In 1985 the family moved to Izmir where he attended school.[1] Later he studied law at the Marmara University in Istanbul.[1]
Professional career[edit]
In 2009, at the time when Abdullah Öcalans detention conditions were alleviated, he was his attorney.[2] In 2011 he was arrested together with 45 other lawyers, who represented Öcalan.[3] In March 2014 he was released with nine other lawyers who were investigated of representing Öcalan and activities concerning the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK).[4]
Political career[edit]
Cengiz Çiçek began his political career with the People's Democracy Party (HADEP) and was also the co-speaker of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK).[1] In 2018, when he was the co-chair of Istanbul branch of the HDP, he was arrested for six days over terror related charges.[5] In the parliamentary elections of May 2023, he was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey representing Istanbul for the (YSP).[6]
Political positions[edit]
Çiçek is against the closure of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), calling it a judicial sabotage that the HDP had to take part in the elections under the umbrella of the YSP,[7] and supports the Saturday Mothers, a Turkish human rights organization.[8][9]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c Aram, Roni. "Çiçek says young people can make a difference on 14 May". Firat News Agency. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ^ "Türkei beendet Isolation Öcalans". Die Presse (in German). 2009-11-17. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ^ "Publikationen > InfoBriefe > InfoBrief #117, 2019 > Tag des bedrohten Anwalts – 24. Januar 2019 | Republikanischer Anwältinnen - und Anwälteverein e.V. (RAV)". www.rav.de. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ^ "Turkey: Provisional releases and continued judicial harassment of 47 lawyers, one journalist, one legal secretary and two drivers". International Federation for Human Rights.
- ^ "Istanbul opposition co-chair arrested". Ahval.
- ^ Şafak, Yeni (2023-06-18). "İstanbul Seçim Sonuçları - 2023 Genel Seçim İstanbul Oy Oranları | CANLI". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ^ "Kurdish MP: "Ensuring Erdoğan's defeat is about safeguarding our lives"". Medya News. 2023-05-21. Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ^ Yasar, Ferhat (2023-06-17). "Police detain Saturday Mothers during their weekly vigil, blockade MPs coming for support". Gazete Duvar (in Turkish). Retrieved 2023-06-18.
- ^ "Search for justice, truth against forced disappearances continues". Jinhagency News. Retrieved 2023-06-18.