Turkey’s parliament descends into chaotic, bloody brawl over jailed opposition leader

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Turkish parliament descends into wild brawl over jailed lawmaker

Video of the clash showed members rush to the podium as lawmakers threw punches and papers while others tried to intervene. (Credit: Emek Party)

Turkey’s parliament descended into chaos Friday after a member of an opposition party called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s party a "terrorist organization." 

A member of Erdoğan’s party approached Ahmet Sik, who is in the same Workers’ Party of Turkey as a delegate believed to have been jailed for political reasons, and attacked him after Sik made the "terrorist" claim. 

"We're not surprised that you call Can Atalay a terrorist, just as you do everyone who does not side with you," Sik said in his speech. "But the biggest terrorists are the ones sitting in these seats." 

Soon, dozens of lawmakers had joined the skirmish, with some throwing punches and papers and others trying to stop the fighting. 

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Turkey’s parliament descended into chaos Friday after a member of an opposition party called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s party a "terrorist organization."  (DIA Images via AP)

A female lawmaker was hit, splattering blood across the parliamentary podium. 

"It is a shameful situation," Ozgur Ozel, who heads the Republican People's Party, the largest opposition party, told The Associated Press. "Instead of words flying in the air, fists are flying. There is blood on the ground. They are hitting women."

The Turkish Grand National Assembly had been debating Can Atalay, who was elected as a parliamentary deputy in May 2023 while imprisoned for his role in 2013 anti-government protests. 

Atalay, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2022 over the protests that challenged Erdoğan’s rule, wants to serve his term in parliament, saying he would return to prison afterward. 

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"It is a shameful situation," Ozgur Ozel, who heads the Republican People's Party, the largest opposition party, told The Associated Press. "Instead of words flying in the air, fists are flying. There is blood on the ground. They are hitting women." (Ruters/Cagla Gurdogan/TPX)

Being in parliament would give him immunity from prosecution.

In an Aug. 1 ruling, the Constitutional Court said the decision to not allow Atalay to take his seat in parliament was "null and void" after parliament stripped him of his seat. 

It was the Constitutional Court's third ruling in Atalay’s favor, but the lower courts have been ignoring its rulings. 

International human rights groups have called Atalay’s and others' jailing and sentencing, including philanthropist Osman Kavala, arbitrary and politically motivated. 

Dozens of lawmakers joined the skirmish, with some throwing punches and papers and others trying to stop the fighting.  (Reuters/Cagla Gurdogan)

"Atalay’s personal freedom and security, as well as his right to be elected, which the Constitutional Court ruled to have been violated, should be restored," Amnesty International’s Turkey office said Friday in a social media post.

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Parliament reopened three hours later with Sik and the lawmaker who attacked him being reprimanded by the parliament's speaker.