It was about as harrowing as live TV can be: Tahir Elçi, a prominent Turkish jurist, head of the local bar association and a leading supporter of Kurdish rights was briefing journalists in Diyarbakir, a major city in southern Turkey. The subject of his press conference: the pressing need for peace. Suddenly, the sound of shooting is heard, and two cameramen are seen putting their long lenses down, picking up shotguns, and aiming Mr. Elçi’s head, killing him point blank.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the murder in broad daylight was “an attack against Turkey” but Mr. Elçi had recently been threatened with jail time for his pro-Kurdish activities.
The Union of Turkish Bar Associations called for all Turkish lawyers to travel to Diyarbakir, a major commercial hub along the Tigris River, today for a solidarity march.