Erdoğan calls execution of Bangladeshi opposition leader a ‘historic
mistake'
Turkish prime minister has condemned the execution of opposition leader
in Bangladesh, calling it a mistake that “history will not forgive.”
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recalled a telephone conversation he had with his
Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, just hours before the execution,
and said Bangladeshi authorities executed Abdul Quader Mollah despite
his call.
Bangladeshi authorities on Thursday executed Abdul Quader Mollah,
convicted of committing war crimes during the country's 1971 war of
independence from Pakistan, hours after the country's Supreme Court
rejected his last-minute appeal.
Mollah's Jamaat-e-Islami party, which is barred from competing in
elections but plays a key role in the opposition movement led by the
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), immediately called a nationwide
general strike for Sunday. However, others gathered at a major
intersection in Dhaka to celebrate the execution, saying it delivered
justice for crimes committed four decades ago.
Concerned over the escalation of violence and the emergence of
instability in the country, Turkey had undertaken diplomatic efforts to
prevent the execution of the leader.
Erdoğan urged his Bangladeshi counterpart to halt the execution on
Thursday, hours after the Supreme Court had cleared the way for the
execution of Mollah.
He expressed condolences for Mollah before a crowd of cheering
supporters in Aegean province of İzmir on Friday. He said there are
nearly 300 cases similar to Mollah and spoke about the necessity to end
this kind of cases.
“I want to particularly stress that this kind of emotional
investigations should end and that everyone is expecting the realization
of justice,” Erdoğan said.
He also called on the Bangladeshi people not to “abandon the political
fight.”
“Because withdrawal means leaving the square [of the battle] to other
powers and that one needs not to get tired of struggle for democracy,”
Erdoğan added.
Meanwhile, Ankara strongly condemned the execution Mollah despite
international outcry against the move and said it is concerned that the
execution will escalate the already high tension in the country.
Davutoğlu also spoke with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, US
Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William
Hague in an effort to prevent the execution of the opposition leader and
to discuss ways to help maintain stability in Bangladesh.
Ankara issued a statement strongly condemning the execution soon after
it happened.
“The execution of the death penalty sentence given to one of the leaders
of Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Quader Mollah, despite all concerns and
suggestions voiced by the international community, including our prime
minister, has led to a grave sadness and indignation. We harshly condemn
this execution; may God have mercy upon him,” said the statement.
Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ offered Turkey's first reaction. He
said: “Justice, human rights and the law have been trampled. History
will never remember well those who executed Mollah or had the chance to
prevent his execution but did not, just as how Turkey does not remember
well those who executed former Prime Minister Adnan Menderes, former
Foreign Minister Fatin Rüştü Zorlu and former Finance Minister Hasan
Polatkan [who were executed following the May 27, 1960 military coup].”
Recalling a letter sent by Turkish President Abdullah Gül to Bangladeshi
President Zillur Rahman, Ankara's statement said that Turkey made all
diplomatic efforts at the international level to prevent the execution.
Last year, Gül had sent a letter to Rahman asking for “clemency” for the
five defendants charged with war crimes, including Mollah, at
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for the “sake of peace
in society.”
“Turkey believes that wounds of the past cannot be healed and social
consensus cannot be reached this way. We are concerned that the
execution of the penalty and continuation of actions with this mentality
will lead to further escalation of the tension in Bangladesh,” added
Ankara's statement, saying that Turkey will continue to support the
people of Bangladesh and wishes for a peaceful end to these critical
times in their country.
Mollah's execution was the first ordered by the special tribunal formed
by Prime Minister Hasina in 2010 to judge cases of people suspected of
crimes committed during the war of independence.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-333932-erdogan-calls-execution-of-bangladeshi-opposition-leader-a-historic-mistake.html
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