Female members of AK Party attacked again
In another instance of violence targeting supporters of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), two women were injured as protesters hurled stones at them during a referendum campaign rally.
The victims, who were from the women's branch of a local AK Party office in the eastern city of Siirt, were campaigning for people to vote "yes" in the upcoming referendum on constitutional changes when they were attacked.
Twenty-two-year-old Kübra Başkurt suffered a head injury while 20-year-old Suzan Siper was wounded on the shoulder. The two women were hospitalized for their injuries.
Başkurt and Siper were among a group of women who were distributing leaflets about the upcoming referendum in the Barış neighborhood when they were attacked. The women said that "a few children" were provoked by "those opposing their campaign" to hurl stones at them.
Nurten Temiz, head of the women's branch for the AK Party in Siirt, said stones were also hurled at their members in another campaign event last week in another neighborhood, but nobody was injured.
She also touched upon the two women's condition saying, "Thank God their injuries are minor. We advocate democracy and call upon everyone to stage their own campaign in a peaceful way."
Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a group of female AK Party activists in the southern city of Antalya were attacked by two women who opposed their distribution of leaflets for the April 16 campaign.
One of the victims was a female activist who had her headscarf torn off in what appeared to be a religious hate crime. The victim has since filed a complaint against the two women.
The AK Party, in power since 2002, has been advocating for a set of changes to the constitution to streamline the bureaucracy, while the opposition claims the referendum will pave the way for an autocratic regime.
The AK Party's members have been victims of attacks in the past election and referendum periods where party offices in several cities were attacked by suspects linked to terrorist groups.
The victims, who were from the women's branch of a local AK Party office in the eastern city of Siirt, were campaigning for people to vote "yes" in the upcoming referendum on constitutional changes when they were attacked.
Twenty-two-year-old Kübra Başkurt suffered a head injury while 20-year-old Suzan Siper was wounded on the shoulder. The two women were hospitalized for their injuries.
Başkurt and Siper were among a group of women who were distributing leaflets about the upcoming referendum in the Barış neighborhood when they were attacked. The women said that "a few children" were provoked by "those opposing their campaign" to hurl stones at them.
Nurten Temiz, head of the women's branch for the AK Party in Siirt, said stones were also hurled at their members in another campaign event last week in another neighborhood, but nobody was injured.
She also touched upon the two women's condition saying, "Thank God their injuries are minor. We advocate democracy and call upon everyone to stage their own campaign in a peaceful way."
Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a group of female AK Party activists in the southern city of Antalya were attacked by two women who opposed their distribution of leaflets for the April 16 campaign.
One of the victims was a female activist who had her headscarf torn off in what appeared to be a religious hate crime. The victim has since filed a complaint against the two women.
The AK Party, in power since 2002, has been advocating for a set of changes to the constitution to streamline the bureaucracy, while the opposition claims the referendum will pave the way for an autocratic regime.
The AK Party's members have been victims of attacks in the past election and referendum periods where party offices in several cities were attacked by suspects linked to terrorist groups.
Last Update: March 29, 2017 01:03