US Congress Passes Resolution Condemning Assault by Erdoğan’s Bodyguards

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The US congress passed a resolution condemning President Erdoğan's bodyguards assaulting the protestors outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence in Washington on May 16, 2017 during Erdoğan's visit.

CLICK - Erdoğan's Bodyguards Attack Protesters in US

The New York Times daily reviewed videos and photos to track the actions of 24 men, including armed members of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's bodyguards. 

According to the statement on US Foreign Affairs Committee's website, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, joined by Ranking Member Eliot Engel, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer introduced a resolution "condemning the violence against peaceful protesters outside the Turkish Ambassador's residence on May 16, 2017, and calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice and measures to be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future".

After introducing the resolution, Chairman Royce, Ranking Member Engel, Majority Leader McCarthy, and Democratic Whip Hoyer issued the following statement:

"We are introducing this bipartisan resolution today to make it clear that last week's unprovoked attack on peaceful protesters by Turkish security forces on American soil must not go unanswered and that those responsible must face justice. The attack last week against the protesters fell into a pattern of similar behavior by the Erdogan government and sent a dangerous message that this ideology of suppression has a place among the NATO powers, an alliance built to protect democracy and basic rights against those who would impose the opposite upon the world. We must dispel that notion entirely and make it clear that the United States rejects any and all attempts to deny people the right to raise their voices against those in power through nonviolent means."

The resolution was passed today (May 26) in the Congress.

"Deportation and ban on entering the country"

Speaking at the session, members of the congress directed harsh criticism to Erdoğan and called:

"Those responsible should be punished as the law allows and I call on our own authorities to make sure such a situation is never again allowed to occur". (AS/DG)