Call from Can Atalay to Numan Kurtulmuş: 'I invite you to do your duty'

Elected Hatay MP Can Atalay, who is imprisoned at Marmara (Silivri) Prison, released a video message on the 106th anniversary of the founding of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). In the video, which was created using artificial intelligence, Atalay invited Parliament Speaker Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş to take action to remove the obstacle to his parliamentary membership, despite the Constitution and Constitutional Court rulings.

Can Atalay included the following statements in his remarks:

Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş recently announced that he “no longer wants to talk about the Can Atalay incident.” Indeed, there is nothing left to talk about. What needs to be done is for Parliament Speaker Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş to register me in the parliamentary records with a single signature. I applied to the Parliament Speaker's Office with two separate petitions in March and April. I did not receive a response to either.

''I INVITE NUMAN KURTULMUŞ TO DO HIS DUTY''

I ask: How many more court rulings need to be written for Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş to remember that the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, which he swore an oath of allegiance to, is still in effect? Regarding the failure to implement Constitutional Court (AYM) rulings, the Council of State emphasized in a recent decision that 'public officials who do not fulfill the requirements of AYM rulings will have violated their obligation of loyalty to the state.' Keeping an MP in prison against the provisions of the Constitution and the rulings of the AYM is a clear contradiction to the very reason for the existence of the TBMM. On its 106th anniversary, the TBMM cannot turn a blind eye to an MP elected by the votes of citizens being held “de facto” hostage. As I stated in my petitions in March and April 2026, I once again invite Parliament Speaker Mr. Numan Kurtulmuş to do his duty.

I am calling out once again:

Mr. Kurtulmuş; in accordance with the Constitution and AYM rulings, it is your duty and responsibility under the Constitution you swore an oath of allegiance to, to register elected Hatay MP Can Atalay in the Parliamentary Registry with a single signature.

''WHAT HAPPENED TO CAN ATALAY?''

Can Atalay was elected as an MP from Hatay in the 2023 general elections; he received his certificate of election, was registered in the parliamentary records, and was subsequently elected as a member of the parliamentary human rights commission. Later, despite the AYM's ruling that the trial should be stayed and Atalay should be released to begin his work, his parliamentary membership was revoked in a scandalous manner, citing an unlawful decision by the 3rd Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation.

The Constitutional Court has confirmed Atalay's parliamentary membership with more than one ruling and has concluded that he should be released. The 5th Chamber of the Council of State has also declared that public officials who do not comply with AYM rulings will be considered to have violated their obligation of loyalty to the state.

News Source: 12punto