HDP MP Tuma Çelik asks Turkish Foreign Minister for update in case of kidnapped Syriac bishops

ANKARA, MARDIN, Turkey – Syriac Member of Turkish Parliament for the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in Mardin Tuma Çelik submitted written questions to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, in which he inquired about the exerted Turkish efforts regarding the kidnapping of the Orthodox Bishops Yuhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yaziji in the Aleppo countryside seven years ago. And whether the Turkish authorities have new information on the case. The HDP MP also asked to uncover the secret information that was handed over to the Turkish court at the trial of the terrorist Abu al-Banat.

In his memorandum, Mr. Çelik asked about the unknown fate of the Orthodox Bishops Yuhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazji since they were kidnapped on 22nd April 2013 in a village located in the countryside of Aleppo, northern Syria, close to the Turkish border. MP Çelik recalled earlier statements of the former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu about the kidnapping of the two Bishops. Ahmet Davutoğlu had said:

“The two Bishops are alive and they could be released soon.”

Mr. Çelik also inquired about the terrorist Abu al-Banat who was arrested in Turkey and brought before a Turkish court among others for accusations of killing spiritual Christian leaders. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had informed the involved judiciary court about the secret information related to the kidnapping. Mr. Çelik in his written questions asked to FM Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu:

“What is the secret information handed over to the Turkish authorities regarding the kidnapping of the Orthodox Bishops Yuhanna Ibrahim and Boulos Yazji in the Aleppo countryside?”