3 more people arrested over the attack on Future Party Vice Chair

As part of the investigation launched into the physical assault on Future Party Vice Chair Selçuk Özdağ, three suspects have been arrested. Two others were previously arrested as part of the same investigation.

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3 more people arrested over the attack on Future Party Vice Chair

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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Three more people have been arrested over the attack on Future Party Vice Chair Selçuk Özdağ in the capital city of Ankara.

As reported by the Anadolu Agency (AA), five people were detained as part of the investigation launched into the attack the other day (January 27). After the related formalities were completed at the Ankara Security Directorate, the suspects gave their statements at the chief prosecutor's office.

Referred to the penal judgeship of peace on duty afterwards, two suspects have been released on probation while three have been arrested.

With these recent arrests, the number of people arrested as part of the investigation has increased to five.

In a social media message on January 27, the Ankara Security Directorate said that four people had been taken into custody.

Bahçeli said 'He had organized it himself'

In his weekly Group meeting on January 27, Devlet Bahçeli, the Chair of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), argued that the attack had nothing to do with the MHP and accused Selçuk Özdağ of "organizing an attack on himself."

Speaking to Gazete Duvar website after these remarks, Özdağ announced that he would file a criminal complaint against Bahçeli and said:

"I invite Mr. President, Minister of Interior and Minister of Justice to duty. Uncover the perpetrators and the ones behind them.

"Taken together with these 3 attacks, 18 attacks in total have recently targeted journalists and politicians. Let the Historical Traffic Search (HTS) records of these attacks be examined. Take the files from the regular prosecutor's office and review them together. Investigate them one by one."

Özdağ also responded to the remarks of Bahçeli, who argued that Özdağ "had placed a camera at the balcony of his house and had the moment of attack be captured." Özdağ briefly said:

"Where in my house was a camera placed? I have been doing politics for 45 years. Bahçeli has to prove this."

What happened?

Selçuk Özdağ was attacked by five people in front of his house in the capital city of Ankara on January 15, 2021. As part of the investigation launched into the physical assault on Future Party Vice Chair Özdağ, two people were arrested for "wilful injury" on January 19.

On the same day when politician Selçuk Özdağ was attacked, Yeniçağ newspaper's Ankara representative Orhan Uğuroğlu was attacked in front of his house in the capital city, while KRT TV host and ultra-nationalist Grey Wolves' (Idealist Hearths) former Chair lawyer Afşin Hatipoğlu was attacked in front of his house in the evening on January 14.

On January 21, a detention warrant was issued against three suspects.

CLICK - 'Attacks on journalists are a symbol of impunity'

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CLICK - '5 journalists assaulted in the first 15 days of 2021'

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(EKN/SD)