During a contentious discussion about an opposition delegate who is currently imprisoned on what are largely believed to be politically motivated charges, a brawl broke out among Turkish lawmakers on Friday.
While speaking at the chamber’s podium, Ahmet Sik, a member of the same party as the imprisoned deputy, was seen on television being approached and attacked by a lawmaker from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party. Sik had just referred to the ruling party as a “terrorist organisation” among its members.
A female lawmaker was struck during a subsequent altercation with numerous deputies, resulting in bloodstains on the steps leading to the speaker’s lectern. It was also reported that another opposition member had been hurt.There are often physical altercations between Turkish lawmakers.
“Turkish lawmakers fight violently during a discussion about a jailed colleague.”
The leader of the biggest opposition party, Ozgur Ozel, called the situation “shameful.” “There’s blood on the ground, fists flying instead of words flying high.” They are striking females.The case of Can Atalay, who was elected from prison to serve as a parliamentary deputy for the Workers’ Party of Turkey, or TIP, in the previous year’s election, was the subject of discussion at the extraordinary session of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.He had been given an 18-year prison sentence the year before for his involvement in anti-government demonstrations in 2013, which opposed Erdogan’s leadership as prime minister of Turkey at the time.
Atalay has been fighting to be elected to parliament, where he would be released from Marmara prison and granted immunity from prosecution. He has stated that after his sentence is up, he will go back to prison.
Even though the Constitutional Court has issued favourable rulings for him, lower courts have disregarded these, creating a judicial crisis and inflaming feelings of injustice among his supporters.On August 1, the Constitutional Court declared that the decision to deprive Atalay of his parliamentary status was “null and void,” in what was its third decision in favour of the politician.
The parties in opposition then called for a special meeting to address the case.Human rights organisations and attorneys widely criticised the conviction of Atalay and seven other defendants in the Gezi Park case.The primary accused, Osman Kavala, a philanthropist, received a life sentence without the possibility of release. Twice, the European Court of Human Rights has demanded that he be freed, claiming that his detention was unjustified and motivated by politics.An environmental camp protesting the construction of a park in the heart of Istanbul marked the start of the Gezi Park protests in the summer of 2013. Shortly after, protests against Erdogan’s progressively autocratic rule spread to other cities.
Amnesty International’s Turkey office stated on social media on Friday that “Atalay’s personal freedom and security, as well as his right to be elected, which the Constitutional Court ruled to have been violated, should be restored.”
After three hours, the speaker of the parliament reprimanded both Sik and his attacker, and the parliamentary session resumed.
Source: AP
