Erasmo Palazzotto, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, addressed a parliamentary question to Luigi Di Maio, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, relating to Turkey’s incursions into Iraqi Kurdistan and Rojava (North and East Syria) and the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds.

Palazzotto posted a message on Twitter indicating that he submitted the question, calling ‘for an immediate halt to the use of chemical weapons and Turkish military attacks against the Kurdish people.’

Indicating that Turkey systematically violates international conventions, he emphasised in his parliamentary question that although there is evidence of such violations the Turkish administration and army officials have never faced trial or been held accountable by international institutions.

Adding that there had been recent allegations of Turkey’s use of chemical weapons in Metina, Zap and Avasin in Iraqi Kurdistan, he said the situation in the region was unsustainable.

Palazzotto is a deputy for Sicily and a member of the left-wing parliamentary group ‘Free and Equal’ which was launched in December 2017 as a federation of political parties including the Article One, Italian Left and Possible parties. He is also the president of the parliamentary commission of inquiry into the death of Giulio Regeni, a member of the Anti-Mafia Commission.