Figen Yuksekdag (L2), Peoples' Democratic Party co-chair, attends the funeral of Omer Faruk Satilmis, who died in hospital after being wounded in an incident trying to prevent security forces carrying out a terror operation in the Ozalp district of Van as a "human shield" in Van, Turkey. Chairwoman of the Peoples' Democratic Party Figen Yuksekdag has been taken into custody at her residence in Ankara, for failing to comply with a summons for her testimony in the probe conducted by Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
By Meltem Ozturk
ANKARA
Opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-leader Figen Yuksekdag has been removed from her seat in the Turkish parliament following her conviction on terrorism charges, according to an official announcement made on the parliament’s website Tuesday.
The announcement came following a Prime Ministry memorandum that was sent to the parliament earlier in the day, which mentioned the fact that a Turkish top court had upheld Yuksekdag’s sentence on Sept. 22,
Ayse Nur Bahcekapali, the parliament’s deputy chief, said the HDP co-leader had become ineligible for her parliamentary seat after the court upheld the sentence in accordance with Articles 76 and 84 of the country’s Constitution.
According to the official website of the Turkish parliament, Article 84 of the Constitution states: “The loss of membership [of a deputy], through a final judicial sentence or deprivation of legal capacity, shall take effect after the plenary has been notified of the final court decision on the matter.”
Article 76 reads: “Every Turk over the age of 30 is eligible to be a deputy... Persons convicted of smuggling, conspiracy in official bidding or purchasing, of
The Supreme Court in September last year upheld a lower court’s ruling against Yuksekdag on the charge of making propaganda for a terror group.
HDP Parliamentary Group’s Deputy Chair Ahmet Yildirim had back then called that decision “null and void” for the party.
The number of HDP lawmakers in the parliament has now reduced to 58; however, the party continues to be the third-largest party in the parliament after the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party with 317 seats and the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) with 134 seats.
Yuksekdag was elected as a lawmaker from eastern Van province in the country’s last elections in November 2015. She was detained in November 2016 along with 13 other HDP deputies on terrorism-related charges. Ten of them, including the party’s other co-leader Selahattin
The lawmakers began facing prosecution under an anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in March 2016.
Turkey’s government accuses the HDP of being linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU.
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