Turkish Lawmakers Brawl During Parliament Debate

#Politics
Turkish Lawmakers Brawl During Parliament Debate

Loveworld / 1 hour

August 17, 2024

2 min read

A violent brawl erupted among Turkish lawmakers on Friday during a heated debate concerning an opposition delegate currently imprisoned under charges widely deemed politically motivated.
The altercation unfolded when Ahmet Sik, a representative from the same party as the jailed deputy, took the podium to speak. Sik, who had labeled members of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party as a “terrorist organization,” was attacked by a lawmaker from Erdogan’s party.
The ensuing chaos involved dozens of deputies, with a female lawmaker being struck and blood spilled onto the steps leading to the speaker’s lectern. Another opposition member was also reportedly injured.
The tumultuous session of the Grand National Assembly was convened to discuss the case of Can Atalay, who was elected from prison as a parliamentary deputy for the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) in last year’s election. Atalay had been sentenced to 18 years in prison for his involvement in anti-government protests in 2013, which challenged Erdogan’s then-premiership.
Atalay is fighting to take his seat in parliament, which would grant him immunity from prosecution and facilitate his release from Marmara prison. He has stated his intention to return to prison after his term ends.
The resumption of the parliamentary session remains uncertain as the situation continues to unfold.