HDP’s Zana Relieved of MP Duties

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Ağrı MP Leyla Zana has been relieved of her MP duties at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) General Assembly due to “absence”.

Vote was taken for Zana on the ground that she didn’t attend 212 sessions from October 1, 2016 to April 30, 2017.

324 MPs attended the voting; 302 MPs voted yes against 22 MPs.

TBMM Deputy Chair Ayşe Nur Bahçekapılı declared that Zana was relieved of her MP duties following the voting.

HDP MPs left the General Assembly in the wake of the voting.

Zana faces three suits

Ağrı MP Zana has been sued over three charges.

Zana is facing from 8 to 21 years in prison on charges of “being a member of an armed terrorist organization”, “participating in illegal demonstrations and rallies unarmed and not being dispersed by herself despite warning”, and “promoting crime and criminal”.

6 HDP MPs were relieved of their MP duties

So far HDP Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ, Nursel Aydoğan, Faysal Sarıyıldız, Tuğba Hezer Öztürk and Besime Konca were relieved of their MP duties. Leyla Zana has become the sixth figure who was relieved of MP duties. (TP/TK)