Remziye Tosun, deputy of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Diyarbakir (Amed), informed the Parliament that Kurds are being targeted and subjected to racist attacks in cities where forest fires are continuing to rage. Tosun asked Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu a parliamentary question about the issue.

'AN INDECISIVE ATTITUDE BRINGS HATE'

Tosun stated that following the Antalya and Aydın fires, residents were lynched because they were Kurds, noting that racist discourses against Kurds have escalated in recent days as a result of the continuing forest fires. The motion declared that the Kurds were held responsible for the forest fires, saying, "While forest fires continue in the west of the country, the Kurds, who have been lynched and attacked, are barred from quenching the fires in the east. While the forces linked with your ministry's ambiguous stance support the execution of hate crimes, it also causes law enforcement officials to commit misconduct offences," she stated.

Tosun posed the following questions to Soylu:

"*Has an investigation been launched into the forest fires that erupted in Antalya, Manavgat, and lasted for days?

*Have any suspects been apprehended or arrested for allegedly starting a fire?

* Has an investigation been filed on citizens who indulge in racist speech and actions?

*What is the reason of the police officers' incapacity to protect the attacked group?

* What are your Ministry's operations and initiatives in relation to groups that block roads and conduct identity checks in areas where forest fires are still raging, as well as lynching in some places? Have law enforcement agencies started looking into these groups? If not, what is the legal basis for this?

* Why was the delegation attempting to intervene in the fire in Hozat, Tunceli, prevented by law enforcement?

*Does your Ministry know about the claim that soldiers in Yüksekova set fire to trees by pouring gasoline on them? Will action be taken in response to the current situation?”