Kılıçdaroğlu on Perinçek’s side
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu held a meeting at the Sait Halim Pasha Mansion with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomeos, Armenian Deputy Patriarch Archbishop Aram Ateşyan, Syriac Catholic Deputy Patriarch Yusuf Sağ, Syriac Orthodox Church Mor Filiksinos Metropolitan Bishop Yusuf Çetin and Chief Rabbi of the Jews of Turkey İzak Haleva.
CHP Vice Presidents Murat Özçelik and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, CHP Istanbul Provincial Chairman Murat Karayalçın, Istanbul Sarıyer Municipal Head Şükrü Genç and CHP member Talin Ergüneş also took part in the meeting held with the spiritual leaders.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu took questions from the press after the meeting.
‘We listened to their problems’
“We spent the most of our meeting focusing on their problems. The leaders explained that a part of the problems stemmed from laws, and some also stemmed from practices. As the CHP, it is our main principle not to intervene in anyone’s life style, and not to question anyone because of his or her faith or ethnic identity. Our members of parliament will voice some of the problems they reported in Parliament. There are also problems that stem from the language that is used, which can be seen within the context of hate speech. Intellectuals and people who carry the love of humanity in their heart should display sensitivity towards all these problems.”
Perinçek case
Regarding the upcoming hearing of the Perinçek case, Kılıçdaroğlu said the following: “We do not find it right that Mr. Perinçek is being tried for a thought he expressed. We must stand united for freedom of thought. All the modern world should.”
‘Any application for parliamentary candidacy will be considered’
To a question regarding whether the CHP would nominate minority members in the upcoming parliamentary elections, Kılıçdaroğlu responded: “We have not made a decision regarding the issue yet. It is too early to say anything on the basis of certain persons, but if there is any such application, we will of course take it into consideration.”
To a further question regarding the election results in Greece, Kılıçdaroğlu responded: “It is of course great that a political party with which we share the same worldview has succeeded in Greece.”
