Turkey: Arrest warrant out for unseated lawmakers

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

Prosecutors of southeastern Diyarbakir province of Turkey issued an arrest warrant for two opposition lawmakers whose seats were revoked earlier on Thursday.

Leyla Guven and Musa Farisogullari, lawmakers of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), had previously been given prison sentence for six years and three months, and nine years respectively over accusations of "membership to an armed terrorist organization".

The 16th Criminal Division of the Supreme Court had approved the jail time sentences issued earlier.

The final judgments of the judicial proceedings on lawmakers were read out in the general assembly on Thursday, and their seats were revoked.

Security forces arrested Farisogullari in a checkpoint on Diyarbakir-Sanliurfa highway following the arrest warrant.

* Writing by Ali Murat Alhas in Ankara