İYİ Party 'won't blindly vote for' lift of HDP deputies' legislative immunity

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İYİ (Good) Party Chair Meral Akşener has said that her party will not "blindly" approve the summaries of proceedings seeking the lift of legislative immunity for Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers.

"İYİ Party will thoroughly read those summaries of proceedings ... It will look at the summaries of proceedings that the Turkish judiciary prepared and will do what is necessary," she told her party's parliamentary group today (March 3).

"İYİ Party won't blindly vote for the summaries of proceedings, which are brought so that the problems of the nation are not discussed," she remarked.

Some 22 HDP deputies, including the party's co-chair Pervin Buldan, may lose legislative immunity if the parliament passes the summaries of proceedings, which are currently pending at the parliament's Joint Committee on Justice and Constitution.

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The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which Akşener was a member of before founding the İYİ Party, supports the lift of immunity for HDP deputies and says the HDP should be closed due to its alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli yesterday called on the İYİ Party and the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) to clarify their stance on the immunity issue.

"They wonder what will the İYİ Party do when the summaries of proceedings come. Of course, we won't allow this shamelessness that squeezes our citizens between two fists," Akşener said in response.

"Of course, we will respect the free will of our nation. Of course, we will not side with political shows but with rights and the truth. This is simple and clear as that."

The "Human Rights Action Plan"

Also making remarks on the "Human Rights Action Plan" announced by President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan yesterday, Akşener said, "I congratulate Erdoğan on discovering the concept of human rights."

"He has discovered some of the countless principles that are currently included in our constitution and legislation, which he is not willing to implement, and on the contrary, he has been brutally violating for years, just to look cute to the world.

"If he puts a little more effort in and will be a good President, I believe he will surely discover the concepts of republic, democracy, and the separation of powers one day."

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(DŞ/VK)