Former Member of Parliament Halime Oguz Arrested in Turkey – Called Grotesque
Former Member of Parliament for the Socialist People’s Party (SF), Halime Oguz, was arrested last Thursday during her vacation in Turkey. The arrest came after she was charged with terrorism propaganda and activities. In a phone call from Turkey, a angry and shaken Halime Oguz expressed her outrage over the situation.
“Is there anything more grotesque? I have always fought against terrorism as a politician and debater,” says Halime Oguz.
The arrest followed a report from a Danish man with Turkish roots, who Halime Oguz is friends with on Facebook. Although she rarely gets involved in Turkish affairs, she was accused of supporting terrorism.
“I am a Danish politician. It is Danish affairs that interest me,” she emphasizes.
Oguz suspects that the report may be related to a trip she took in 2020 with three other members of the Foreign Affairs Committee. The trip was to Turkey to attend a trial of a Kurdish leader, who is considered a terrorist in certain circles.
“It is solely because of my Kurdish background that I have received this accusation,” she says.
The arrest took place near the town of Kulu in the Konya province, where Oguz was visiting her family. Three armed soldiers arrested her after checking her ID. She was detained for a few hours, but was released after the charges were dropped.
“They could see for themselves that it was a completely grotesque situation. I am a Danish politician who has no relations with militant groups,” she explains.
Halime Oguz now plans to sue the reporter, whom she calls “defamatory”. Halime Oguz previously served in the Danish Parliament for SF from 2019 to 2022, where she held the position of spokesperson for integration.