Turkish Parliament holds closed session: Can Atalay's parliamentary status revoked

Following the decisions made by the Constitutional Court and the Court of Cassation regarding TİP MP Can Atalay, all eyes had turned to Parliament.

Under the chairmanship of Bekir Bozdağ, who took over the duties due to Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş's visit abroad, Can Atalay's parliamentary status was revoked.

The decision was carried out during a closed session due to the reactions and protests occurring in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM).

WHY DID THE CHP REQUEST A CLOSED SESSION?

In a written statement issued by the CHP, it was noted that while the party requested the Parliament to move to a closed session, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Bekir Bozdağ put the request to a vote and the decision was accepted.

It was stated that the reason for the CHP's request for a closed session was that the issue was not merely the violation of a single MP's right to vote and be elected, but a case of violating the constitutional order, and that the request was made to evaluate this decision.

AKP Parliamentary Group Chairman Abdullah Güler took the floor in favor of the motion, pointing to Article 153 of the Constitution, while CHP Deputy Group Chairman Gökhan Günaydın emphasized democracy.

Pointing to the members of the Constitutional Court (AYM), Günaydın asked, "Did it not pass through your own precedents?" Günaydın also drew attention to the fact that Numan Kurtulmuş, who is in the UAE, did not read the decision.

"BEKİR BOZDAĞ IS READING IT, BECAUSE HE DESERVES IT"

TİP Chairman Erkan Baş took the floor against the motion and said the following:

An unconstitutional act is being carried out. Any citizen who can read and write can understand that the Constitution is being trampled upon.

We refuse to have a decision that says 'let us not recognize the Constitution' entered into the records.

When this decision enters the parliamentary records, your own parliamentary status will be questioned. I ask every citizen with a conscience: If Can Atalay is an MP, why is he in prison? If he is not an MP, what are you revoking?

Can Atalay is my comrade in the struggle. He never once said, 'I didn't do it, I wasn't involved.'

He said he is honored and proud of everything he has done. We stand by what we have done.

A decision is to be read here today, but the Parliament Speaker is not here. If you say this procedure is appropriate, then Numan Kurtulmuş has been acting irregularly for months. Numan Kurtulmuş is not reading it, Sırrı Süreyya Önder is not reading it. Bekir Bozdağ is reading it, because he deserves to read it!

Even if you kill us, even if you revoke our parliamentary status, we will not bow down to you!

CONSTITUTION BOOKLET THROWN AT BEKİR BOZDAĞ

After Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Bekir Bozdağ read the decision issued by the 3rd Chamber of the Court of Cassation, MPs walked to the podium with signs in their hands reading "Freedom for Can Atalay." At that moment, a copy of the Constitution was thrown at Bozdağ.

News Source: 12punto