Turkey- Turkish minister accuses opposition over MPs' immunity
Date
3/18/2016 6:50:01 PM
(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) >Turkey's justice minister has accused opposition parties of not being "sincere" in lifting parliamentary immunities.
Bekir Bozdag's remarks came on Friday a day after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's call on political parties in parliament besides his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party to lift all parliamentary immunities. He had suggested adding a temporary clause to the constitution.
"If the CHP (Republican People’s Party) is sincere enough they will support this constitutional change or a text can be jointly written" Bozdag told reporters in Turkey’s central Yozgat province.
Bozdag added that the MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) was also not "sincere" on the issue. He said those who were sincere could come together without laying down conditions.
On Wednesday an official request to revoke immunity from prosecution from opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Tugba Hezer Ozturk was sent to parliament.
Last week similar requests to lift the immunity of five other members of the HDP including the party’s two co-chairs were filed with parliament.
The motions stemmed from speeches given in December in which the deputies allegedly supported autonomy for parts of southeastern Turkey.
"Parliamentary immunity is a right that is granted to deputies only to perform their duties. Parliamentary immunity does not give someone freedom of committing crime" said Bozdag.
The minister said lifting the parliamentary immunities is "limited" to the deputies on whom a summary of proceedings have sent to parliament.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.