From Peace Bloc to MPs: Refuse Proposal to Lift Parliamentary Immunity

Click here to read the article in Turkish / Haberin Türkçesi için buraya tıklayın

The Peace Bloc has called for the MPs to reject the Justice and Development Party’s (AKP) bill of law to lift parliamentary immunities.

Former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP Sezai Temelli, and People’s Republican Party (CHP) MP Binnaz Toprak participated in the press conference held at Union of Chamber of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB).

The Peace Bloc has called for the MPs that “Turn down AKP’s proposal to lift parliamentary immunity,

“It aims to silence the MPs”

Following expressions have come forward in the statement read by Peace Bloc Term Co-Spokesperson, Çiğdem Özbaş:

“The legislative proposal aims to silence and send the MPs to prison who effectively oppose against illegal practices and war policies of [Presidential] Palace and the government.

“The law amendment doesn’t merely involve a danger that HDP MPs will be swept out of the Parliament and Kurdish question will deadlock, but also including CHP MPs which points to how Presidential staff who don’t hide their enthusiasm to build a ‘new regime’ aim at making the Parliament nonfunctional.

“The parliamentary immunity is desired to be lifted not for judicial crimes but to turn politics into crime”.

“Let us not be a party to this crime”

“Those who approve this amendment will face the heavy responsibility of facilitating the democratic base be removed under our feet very shortly. It is in our hands to say stop against this coup approaching blatantly, let us not say yes, let us not be a party to this crime.

“The reason for the wish to lift the parliamentary immunities is to silence all sorts of opposite voice.

“In the face of the possibility for the parliamentary immunity of the HDP MPs to be lifted upon Palace’s instruction, we already now declare that such a parliament and executive force won’t be seen legitimate.

“We urge all MPs, especially the CHP MPs to act within the frame of democratic legal norms, and be respectful to people’s right to opposition.

“You will either accelerate the current destruction we are living as war parliament, or pave the way for democracy and peace for total salvation. We want democracy and peace, not war, death, grudge or hatred”. (BK/TK)