Turkish Parliament Erupts in Brawl Over Jailed Opposition Deputy

 

On Friday, chaos erupted in Turkey’s parliament as lawmakers engaged in a violent altercation over the fate of Can Atalay, an opposition deputy imprisoned and stripped of his parliamentary immunity earlier this year.

The brawl, which lasted around 30 minutes, resulted in injuries to at least two lawmakers and led to the suspension of the parliamentary session. Following the melee, deputies reconvened to vote on an opposition proposal to reinstate Atalay's parliamentary mandate. The motion was ultimately rejected.

The conflict ignited when Alpay Ozalan, a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), confronted Ahmet Sik from the leftist Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP). Sik had criticized the government’s handling of Atalay, who was imprisoned despite winning a parliamentary seat while campaigning from his cell.

“It’s no surprise that you call Atalay a terrorist,” Sik declared. “All citizens should know that the biggest terrorists of this country are those seated on those benches,” he said, pointing towards the ruling majority.

Ozalan, a former footballer, then approached Sik at the rostrum and physically attacked him, shoving him to the ground. While Sik was on the floor, he was reportedly struck multiple times by AKP lawmakers, escalating the situation further.

Footage from the scene showed the intense brawl and later scenes of staff cleaning blood from the parliament floor. A deputy from the Republican People's Party (CHP) and one from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (DEM) sustained head injuries during the scuffle.

Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition CHP, condemned the violence. “I am ashamed to have witnessed this situation,” he said.

The parliamentary speaker announced that the two deputies responsible for initiating the altercation would face sanctions.

Atalay’s seat was revoked after a contentious parliamentary session in January, despite objections from leftist deputies. Atalay was one of seven individuals sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2022 following a controversial trial. The verdict also saw philanthropist Osman Kavala sentenced to life imprisonment.

Campaigning from prison, Atalay won a seat representing the earthquake-affected Hatay province in the May 2023 elections, causing a legal and political standoff between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s supporters and opposition leaders.

The parliament's decision to remove Atalay followed a ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeals, which upheld his conviction and led to the stripping of his parliamentary immunity. However, on August 1, the Constitutional Court declared Atalay's removal as a parliament member “null and void.”

On Friday, deputies from the AKP and the far-right Nationalist Movement Party united to defeat the opposition's motion, reflecting ongoing tensions in Turkey’s political landscape.