Lawmakers Exchange Blows in Parliament, Leaving Bloodstains in Chambers
A violent altercation erupted in the Turkish Parliament on Friday as a debate over the detention of an opposition legislator turned physical. The clash began when Ahmet Sik, a representative from the same party as the imprisoned deputy, was assaulted by a member of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party during a charged session.
Television footage captured the incident as Sik, who had recently accused the ruling party of being a “terrorist organization,” was attacked at the podium.
According to AP, the scene in the Turkish Grand National Assembly became chaotic, with several deputies involved in the scuffle. A female lawmaker was struck, leaving bloodstains on the steps leading to the speaker’s lectern, and another opposition member was also injured. Physical confrontations among Turkish lawmakers have occurred before.
Ozgur Ozel, leader of the largest opposition party, denounced the violence, saying, “This is a disgraceful situation. Instead of engaging in debate, lawmakers are resorting to physical violence, and there is bloodshed. Women are being targeted.”
The session was called to address the case of Can Atalay, who was elected from prison as a parliamentary deputy for the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) in the previous year’s elections. Atalay, who received an 18-year prison sentence for his involvement in the 2013 anti-government protests against then-Prime Minister Erdogan, has been fighting to take his seat in Parliament. Gaining parliamentary immunity would facilitate his release from Marmara prison, although Atalay has promised to return to prison after his term ends.
Despite favorable rulings from the Constitutional Court, lower courts have ignored these decisions, leading to a judicial crisis and growing frustration among Atalay’s supporters. On August 1, the Constitutional Court declared the decision to strip Atalay of his parliamentary status “null and void.”
In response, opposition parties demanded a special session to discuss the issue. The convictions of Atalay and seven others in the Gezi Park case have been widely criticized by human rights organizations and legal experts. Osman Kavala, the primary defendant, received a life sentence without parole, and the European Court of Human Rights has called for his release, citing arbitrary detention and political motivations.
The Gezi Park protests began in summer 2013 as an environmental campaign against the development of a central Istanbul park but evolved into broader demonstrations against Erdogan’s increasingly authoritarian regime.
Amnesty International’s Turkey office has stressed on social media that Atalay’s rights, including his freedom, security, and right to be elected, as affirmed by the Constitutional Court, should be restored.
After a three-hour recess, the parliamentary session resumed, with the involved deputies receiving reprimands from the parliament’s speaker.
