Mizgin Irgat (born 1978, Tatvan, Turkey) is a Turkish lawyer and politician of Kurdish origin. She is a member of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and a former member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
Mizgin Irgat | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey | |
| In office June 2015 – June 2018 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1978 Tatvan |
| Political party | HDP |
| Alma mater | Dicle University |
Early life and education edit
She attended primary education in Tatvan, but was exiled to Izmir in 1993 where she completed her studies in a local high school.[1] After having graduated from the law faculty of the Dicle University in Diyarbakir in 2003, she became a lawyer in Izmir.[2] In December 2011 she was arrested and prosecuted in one of the so-called KCK-trials, the one against the lawyers of Abdullah Öcalan.[3] She was detained in prison in Bakirköy, Istanbul.[4] For the release of these lawyers, several Human Rights organizations such as the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)[5] the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)[6] and lawyer unions [7][4] have taken action. She was released pending trial in June 2013.[8]
Political career edit
She was the Democratic Society Party (DTP) candidate for the mayorship of Konak in Izmir in 2009[1] but was not elected. In the General Elections of June 2015, Irgat was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey representing the HDP for Bitlis.[9] In the snap elections of November 2015, she was re-elected.[10] As an MP she has taken up the defense of the rights of the deceased, condemning the destruction of graveyards by Turkish authorities.[11]
Legal prosecution edit
While acting as an MP, she was detained and prosecuted.[12] She has taken part in a meeting of HDP MPs in Izmir during which on actions of the PKK were referred to as peoples' struggle, which was enough evidence for a prosecution for terror related charges of several MPs.[13][14] Irgat also shall have referred to Öcalan as a captive and a political entity.[15] On the 17 March 2021, the state prosecutor Bekir Şahin demanded for her and 686 other HDP politicians a five-year ban to engage in politics together with a closure of the HDP due to alleged organizational cooperation with the PKK.[16][17]
References edit
- ^ a b "Mizgin Irgat Kimdir? Mizgin Irgat Haberleri - Yazılar, Videolar ve Galeri - Habertürk". www.haberturk.com. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "Detained HDP MP Mizgin Irgat Released". Bianet. 21 July 2017.
- ^ "Call for the release and the end of judicial harassment against…". World Organisation Against Torture. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ a b "Open letter to the United Nations" (PDF). Lawyers for Lawyers. 2012.
- ^ "Turkey: Continued arbitrary detention of 15 lawyers and one journalist and judicial harassment of 47 lawyers, one journalist, one legal secretary and two drivers". International Federation for Human Rights. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "Turkey: Human Rights Defenders guilty until proven innocent: International fact-finding mission report" (PDF). World Organization Against Torture. May 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "24.01.2012: Solidaritätsaktionen zum Tag des bedrohten Anwalts in Berlin und Düsseldorf". www.vdj.de (in German). Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "7 Freed Pending Trial in KCK Lawyers Case". Bianet. 21 June 2013.
- ^ Şafak, Yeni (2021-11-15). "Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları 2015 - Genel Seçim 2015". Yeni Şafak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "Seçim sonuçları 2015: 1 Kasım Bitlis Seçim Sonuçları Son Dakika". www.sozcu.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ Khalidi, Ali (29 December 2017). "HDP says Turkey has destructed 13 cemeteries of fallen Kurdish fighters". Kurdistan24. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "The Status of HDP MPs to Date". Bianet. 21 February 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
- ^ "Senior PKK leader Sara Aktaş detained in Istanbul". Daily Sabah. 2016-11-27. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "Turkey court accepts indictment against HPD deputies - Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "Turkey court accepts indictment against HPD deputies - Turkey News". Hürriyet. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
- ^ "Turkish prosecutor seeks political ban on 687 pro-Kurdish politicians". Gazete Duvar (in Turkish). 2021-03-18. Archived from the original on 2021-04-12. Retrieved 2021-03-19.
- ^ "HDP indictment seeks political ban for 687 members, including Demirtaş, Buldan and Sancar". Bianet. Retrieved 2021-03-19.