ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A Turkish prosecutor has called for 10 Kurdish deputies to be investigated on charges of aiding a terrorist group after they were filmed embracing militants at an impromptu roadside meeting, state-run Anatolian news agency said on Wednesday.
The incident happened in August when Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants set up a roadblock and stopped a Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) convoy in southeast Turkey.
Newspaper photos at the time showed the MPs embracing five militants, who had rifles slung over their shoulders.
In a report on the incident sent to the justice ministry, the prosecutor's office in the southeastern province of Van asked parliament to lift their immunity from prosecution.
The report sought permission from the assembly to launch a formal investigation into the deputies, nine from the BDP and one an independent MP, on charges related to aiding a terrorist group. Such charges carry jail sentences of 5-10 years.
The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and European Union, launched its separatist insurgency 28 years ago and more than 40,000 people have since been killed.
The August meeting in the mountainous district of Semdinli, bordering Iraq and Iran, came at a time of heightened conflict between the PKK and Turkish security forces. Several thousand PKK militants are based in northern Iraq.
Kurdish politicians, including those from the BDP, are frequently prosecuted for alleged links to the PKK, but deny ties with the militants. Previous Kurdish parties similar to the BDP have been closed down for such links.
(Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Nick Tattersall)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkey-seeks-prosecution-kurdish-mps-over-roadside-meeting-163003438.html
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