Summary of Proceedings Against 5 HDP MPs

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The Ministry of Justice has sent the summary of proceedings to parliament demanding lifting parliamentary immunity of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ in addition to Hakkari MP Selma Irmak, Ankara MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder, İzmir MP Ertuğrul Kürkçü.

Diyarbakır Chief Prosecution had launched investigation into Demirtaş, Yüksekdağ, Irmak, Önder, and Kürkçü for their speech as to “self-governance” declaration in Democratic Society Congress (DTK) Extraordinary General Assembly that lasted two days at Kayapınar Sports Hall on December 26, 2015.

The chief prosecution preparing summary of proceedings against five MPs within the scope of the investigation on charges of “Inciting people to grudge and hatred”, and “Being member to armed terror organization”, has demanded “lift of parliamentary immunity” on the basis of Article 83 of the

According to report of Ramazan Yavuz and Serdar Sunar from Doğan News Agency (DHA), Demirtaş speaking about Newroz program has briefly said the following:

“Normal procedure”

“This is the normal procedure of summary of proceedings. This has been done like this year-to-date. However, AKP (Justice and Development Party) group wants to enact these summary of proceedings a bit earlier”.

“We are member of a single organization: HDP”

“We are member of a single organization, which is Peoples’ Democratic Party.

“We have never been another organization’s member but even if we did, we would say it without fear. They cannot scare us with summary of proceedings”.

Demirtaş reminding of past imprisonments of former MPs such as Hatip Dicle, Leyla Zana, Orhan Doğan, has stressed that they don’t fear going to prison.

Erdoğan had urged the parliament to do “what is required”

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his statement on lifting parliamentary immunity following his Saudi Arabia trip on January 2 had said, “I believe the process to be started with lifting the parliamentary immunity will have positive impact on our country’s climate with respect to fight against terror. It is not possible for us to accept messages aiming to divide out country”.

Erdoğan in the evaluation he made at the Presidential Palace as to HDP MPs had expressed that parliament should do what is required.

“Parliamentary immunity is not an immunity brought to become shield to the terror organization. I believe parliament and jurisdiction should take steps with respect to MPs acting like terror organization member”.

Demirtaş had called for the removal of “All parliamentary immunity”

Demirtaş in his statement on March 6 in Ankara had expressed they think parliamentary immunity of all of the 550 MPs should be lifted.

Demirtaş advocated that MPs should have only chair immunity.

HDP had made formal application for parliamentary immunity of 80 MPs to be lifted

HDP had applied to Speakership of Parliament on July 29, 2015 for parliamentary immunity of 80 MPs to be lifted. The petition signed by HDP Group Deputy Chairpeople Pervin Buldan and İdris Baluken was submitted to Speakership of Parliament. (EKN/TK)