A heated debate in Turkey's parliament turned violent on Friday, resulting in a brawl between lawmakers. The altercation occurred during a discussion about reinstating the parliamentary mandate of Can Atalay, an imprisoned opposition member.
According to POLITICO, the incident left at least two lawmakers injured and led to a temporary suspension of the session.
The clash broke out when opposition members proposed restoring Atalay's mandate, which had been revoked following his imprisonment. Atalay, a lawyer and rights activist, was elected to parliament in 2023 while serving an 18-year sentence for his alleged role in the 2013 nationwide protests known as the Gezi Park demonstrations.
Can Atalay is one of the "Gezi Seven," a group accused of attempting to overthrow the government by orchestrating the 2013 protests. Despite being in prison, he secured a parliamentary seat with the leftist Workers' Party of Turkey in the 2023 elections. However, his mandate was subsequently stripped, leading to the current controversy.
The opposition's move to reinstate Atalay's parliamentary status was met with strong resistance from members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This disagreement set the stage for the ensuing physical confrontation.
The situation escalated rapidly when Ahmet Şık, a member of the Workers' Party, took the floor to advocate for Atalay's release from prison. During his speech, Şık made a controversial statement, referring to AKP lawmakers as "the biggest terrorists of this country." This remark appeared to be the catalyst for the physical altercation that followed.
In response to Şık's comment, AKP member Alpay Özalan physically confronted him, pushing him to the ground. The situation quickly spiraled out of control as other AKP lawmakers joined in, reportedly punching Şık while he was down. This initial assault sparked a larger brawl involving multiple parliamentarians.
The fighting continued for approximately 30 minutes before order could be restored. As a result of the chaos, the parliamentary session had to be suspended for three hours.
When the session resumed after the three-hour break, parliamentarians voted on the issue at hand. Despite the earlier disruption, they ultimately decided to uphold Atalay's suspension from parliament. This outcome aligned with the position of the ruling AKP party.
In addressing the violent incident, the parliament took disciplinary action against both Şık and Özalan. Şık was reprimanded for his inflammatory remarks against the AKP, while Özalan faced consequences for initiating the physical confrontation.
Özgür Özel, the leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), expressed his dismay at the events in the parliament. Özel stated, "Lawmakers punched other lawmakers, even women. This is unacceptable."
While the violent nature of this incident is alarming, it is not without precedent in Turkish politics. The article notes that physical altercations in Turkey's parliament have become increasingly common in recent years. A similar incident occurred in June when AKP members and opposition lawmakers engaged in a physical confrontation over the detention of a pro-Kurdish mayor.
In conclusion, the Turkish parliament witnessed a violent brawl during a debate over reinstating the mandate of jailed opposition member Can Atalay. The incident began when AKP member Alpay Özalan physically attacked Workers' Party MP Ahmet Şık, leading to a 30-minute melee. After a three-hour suspension, the parliament reconvened and voted to uphold Atalay's suspension. Both Şık and Özalan were reprimanded for their roles in the altercation. This event is part of a concerning trend of physical confrontations in Turkey's parliament, reflecting deep political divisions in the country.
