Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Seán Crowe TD, raised the assassination of prominent Kurdish human rights lawyer, Tahir Elçi, in the Dáil today.

Crowe also raised continued human rights violations in Turkey and the jailing of journalists.

Deputy Crowe said:

“Tahir Elçi was assassinated in broad daylight by a single bullet to the head.

“The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) contends that he was killed by a bullet fired from a police weapon.

“The video of the moment Elçi was killed is extremely disturbing and has convinced many impartial observers that he was assassinated by the Turkish authorities.

“Amnesty International is on record as saying that the Turkish investigation ‘already smacks of a cover up’.

“I welcome that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flangan, joined with me in condemning the murder of Elçi, and I have asked him to urgently raise the case with the Turkish Government.

“I recalled to the Minister the brutal killing of the human rights lawyer Pat Finucane in Belfast 26 years ago, as a result of British collusion, and I urged him to support Tahir Elçi’s family in their pursuit of justice and the prosecution of those who carried out and planned this murder.”

ENDS