Turkey’s parliament has approved a government-backed bill which would strip lawmakers of their immunity from prosecution in a move which critics say targets Kurds and dissidents.
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“It’s not appropriate to compare today’s move with 1990s”, Turan said, in reference to the arrest of four Kurdish lawmakers after their immunities were removed at parliament.
HDP lawmakers are particularly vulnerable to prosecution on allegations of links or even verbal support for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a three-decade insurgency in the southeast. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
The government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in the midst of a crackdown on free speech and the press, is apparently turning on its own lawmakers for their alleged “support of terrorism”, which implies members of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) in particular, and their views on Kurdish groups.
“Parliament is one important platform where the opposition can voice its criticism and represent its interest but now the parliament itself will be weakened”, he said.
Erdogan’s government sees the HDP as political front for the PKK considered a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies.
Some 376 out of 550 deputies voted in favor of the motion in the second and final vote on May 20, comfortably passing the required 367 majority to have it approved without the need to go to a referendum.
The new law will allow prosecutors to pursue members of parliament who now face investigation: that includes 138 deputies, of whom 101 are from the HDP and main opposition CHP.
The amendment was proposed by Mr Erdogan’s AK Party after the president accused the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP) of being an arm of outlawed Kurdish rebels and repeatedly called for their prosecution on terror-related charges.
Should a number of HDP deputies leave parliament, it would ease the way for Erdogan to realise his dream of changing the constitution to create a presidential system and further beef up his powers. “The fighting has just started”.
The legislation has caused concern in Europe, which is trying to hold together a controversial deal with Turkey meant to stop illegal migration despite what many European politicians see as the country’s deteriorating record on human rights.
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German Chancelor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson said she would raise concerns over the state of democracy in Turkey when at a meeting with Erdogan in Istanbul next week.
