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A fight broke out inside Turkey’s parliament on Friday when an opposition lawmaker was attacked after calling on his colleague, who was jailed for organizing anti-government protests but was later elected, to enter parliament.
Video footage showed lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development Party rushing in and beating Ahmet Şik at the podium, with dozens of others joining the melee, some trying to hold others back. The white steps of the podium were splattered with blood.
Atalay was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2022 for allegedly organizing the nationwide Gezi Park protests in 2013 with philanthropist Osman Kavala (now in prison) and six others and attempting to overthrow the government. All have denied the charges.
Despite Atalay’s imprisonment, he was elected as a member of the Turkish Workers’ Party (TIP) in May last year. Parliament stripped him of his seat, but on August 1, Constitutional Court Declare his exclusion null and void.
“We are not surprised that you called Khan Atalay a terrorist, just as you do to everyone who does not support you,” Sik told AKP lawmakers in a speech.
“But the biggest terrorists are the people sitting in these seats,” he added.
After the fight, the deputy speaker of parliament announced a 45-minute recess.
TIP also called for Atalay’s release.
Although uncommon, fights are not unheard of in Turkey’s parliament. In June, AKP MP Scuffle Negotiations have begun with pro-Kurdish Democratic Party lawmakers over the detention and removal of a Democratic mayor in southeastern Turkey over suspected links to militants.
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