HDP chairs, MPs face official call for lifted immunity

ANKARA

The Turkish Justice Ministry is seeking to have legislative immunity lifted for the co-chairs of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party’s (HDP), along with three other deputies.

Ministry sources told Anadolu Agency that a summary of proceedings on HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag and party deputies Selma Irmak, Sirri Sureyya Onder, and Ertugrul Kurkcu was submitted to the Prime Ministry to be sent to parliament, which then would vote on lifting the immunity.

The move springs from an investigation by the Diyarbakir chief public prosecutor into the speeches of the five deputies on an alleged "declaration of autonomy" during a December meeting of a group affiliated with party in the southeastern province.

The prosecutor's office summary was sent last month to the Justice Ministry with a request that the immunity of the HDP deputies be lifted, so they can face charges of "openly instigating people to hatred and hostility" and "membership in an armed terrorist organization," under Article 83 of the constitution.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu had floated the idea of lifting the immunity of HDP parliamentarians due to the party’s alleged support for terrorism.

The call had the backing of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), while the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) opposed it.

Last December, on the 14-item final declaration of the Diyarbakir meeting, Demirtas said his party would support calls for the formation of "democratic autonomous regions" in Turkey's southeast.