ArmInfo. The government of the United States of America froze the sale of weapons to the bodyguards of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after the last in May attacked peaceful demonstrators opposite the Turkish Embassy in Washington, the Armenian National Committee of America reported.
The legislative initiative, introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy and Chris Van Hollen, blocks the deal between Erdogan's bodyguards and Sig Sauer, one of the leading arms dealers in the United States. The amount of the canceled transaction was $ 1.2 million.
"The sale of weapons to Erdogan's bodyguards must never take place, given the violence they committed," the senators said, adding that the United States should stop selling weapons to the Turkish national police, which arbitrarily arrests and uses force against peaceful protesters who criticize the government . Note that last spring during a visit to the United States by Recep Erdogan, his bodyguards violated the peaceful protesters gathered near the embassy, after which several of them were hospitalized.
A few weeks ago, law enforcement agencies of the United States of America brought charges against 19 people, 15 of whom are Erdogan's bodyguards, who are now on the wanted list.