Erdogan okays lifting of MPs’ immunity

AFP, ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed into law a reform lifting immunity for lawmakers, his office said, in a move critics believe is aimed at evicting pro-Kurdish MPs from parliament.
Erdogan’s approval came late Tuesday, less than a month after parliament adopted the highly controversial reform, which lifts the immunity of 138 deputies from all parties who face potential prosecution.
The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) says the measure, drafted and backed by Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), is squarely aimed at expelling its members from parliament.
Erdogan’s government sees the HDP as a political front for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies.
The reform could see dozens of HDP deputies facing criminal prosecution and losing parliamentary seats on accusations of supporting the PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency in the southeast.
Should a number of HDP deputies leave parliament, it would ease the way for Erdogan to realise his aim of changing the constitution to create a presidential system and further beef up his powers.

 

Erdogan okays lifting of MPs immunity

AFP, ANKARA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signed into law a reform lifting immunity for lawmakers, his office said, in a move critics believe is aimed at evicting pro-Kurdish MPs from parliament. Erdogans approval came late Tuesday, less than a month after parliament adopted the highly controversial reform, which lifts the immunity of 138 deputies from all parties who face potential prosecution. The pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) says the measure, drafted and backed by Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP), is squarely aimed at expelling its members from parliament. Erdogans government sees the HDP as a political front for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), considered a terrorist group by Ankara and its Western allies. The reform could see dozens of HDP deputies facing criminal prosecution and losing parliamentary seats on accusations of supporting the PKK, which has waged a three-decade insurgency in the southeast. Should a number of HDP deputies leave parliament, it would ease the way for Erdogan to realise his aim of changing the constitution to create a presidential system and further beef up his powers.