AKP statement on parliamentary immunity: 'We do not have such an agenda at the moment'

AK Party Group Deputy Chairperson Leyla Şahin Usta met with members of the press at the "Anatolian Conversations" program held at the Turkish Press Federation (TÜBAF) and made critical statements regarding the current agenda. Usta responded to questions regarding whether the parliamentary immunity of certain CHP figures, including the elected Chairman of the CHP, Özgür Özel, would be lifted.

"WE DO NOT EXPECT ANY LIFTING OF IMMUNITY FROM TODAY TO TOMORROW"

Responding to questions from members of the press referring to the cases and allegations involving CHP figures, Leyla Şahin Usta stated that there is no such preparation on the parliamentary calendar:

Usta stated, "As of now, an agenda regarding such a commission study has not been formed," indicating that, contrary to the allegations, the Joint Committee on Constitution and Justice of the Parliament has no such preparation.

Upon the direct question from journalists, "We do not expect any lifting of immunity from today to tomorrow, is that correct?", she replied, "We do not have such an agenda in Parliament at the moment."

WHO ARE THE CHP DEPUTIES MENTIONED?

During the Q&A session, the high-level CHP figures associated with the immunity debates and who are alleged to be subject to potential summaries of proceedings (fezleke) were as follows:

•Özgür Özel (Elected Chairman of the CHP)

•Veli Ağbaba (Malatya Deputy)

•Turan Taşkın Özer (Istanbul Deputy)

•Burhanettin Bulut (Adana Deputy)

"AN INDICTMENT IS ONE THING, A SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS IS ANOTHER"

Upon the reminder from journalists that "the same names appear in the indictments of the ongoing investigations," AK Party Group Deputy Chairperson Usta underlined the legal procedure and made the following assessment:

"But as you said, an indictment... Once these are presented by the prosecutor's office with their evidence and proofs, if files and summaries of proceedings are prepared, they will come. Haven't there been those whose immunity was lifted in Parliament before? Of course there have. But for this, the summaries of proceedings need to arrive."

With this statement, Usta clearly demonstrated that the judicial processes have not yet reached the parliamentary stage (the summary of proceedings phase), that the judiciary is operating within its own mechanism, and that no action can be taken in parliament without a concrete summary of proceedings.