Turkey’s parliament revoked the status of the jailed opposition MP today after the judicial crisis between two of the country’s top courts.
Can Atalay was elected to parliament as an MP for Hatay from TIP in the May 2023 elections. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison in the Gezi trial.
Atalay’s applications for his release to perform his MP duties were rejected by the Court of Cassation despite a Constitutional Court ruling that his rights to be elected were violated.
The Supreme Court of Appeals had referred its own verdict to the parliament that Atalay should be stripped of MP status, alleging that the Constitutional Court exceeded its authority.
Atalay lost his status as a member of parliament during the General Assembly of the Parliament today, which saw protests from DEM, TİP, EMEP and other opposition deputies.
photo credit: Evrensel
