The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, a pro-Kurdish political group in Turkey, has strongly condemned the violence that erupted in the Turkish Parliament on 16 August during an extraordinary session convened to discuss the reinstatement of Can Atalay’s parliamentary status. The session, which resulted in physical altercations, ended without a general discussion on the matter, despite a ruling from the Constitutional Court that declared Atalay’s disqualification unconstitutional.
In a joint statement, DEM Party co-chairs Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan criticised the ruling AKP-MHP coalition for what they described as an ongoing disregard for justice and the rule of law. “Despite the clear ruling from the Constitutional Court, the AKP-MHP government continues to defy justice under the parliamentary roof. Their response to the opposition’s call for an extraordinary session was not through dialogue, but through violence,” they stated.
During the session, tensions escalated when TİP MP Ahmet Şık was physically attacked by AKP MP Alpay Özalan after delivering a scathing speech against the ruling party. The attack, which also resulted in injuries to DEM Party Group Deputy Chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, prompted widespread outrage among opposition MPs. “The assault on our female MPs by male AKP MPs is nothing short of political thuggery. These attacks are a rejection of the people’s will and an act of political cowardice,” Hatimoğulları and Bakırhan added.
The DEM Party leaders also accused the AKP-MHP government of importing its oppressive tactics from the streets into parliament. “This government, which has directed unlawful violence against societal groups defending life, humanity, democracy, law, and nature, has now brought its lawlessness into parliament through its MPs,” the statement continued.
Despite the violence, the DEM Party vowed to continue resisting the government’s tactics and upholding democratic values. “We declare to the public that we will resist the AKP’s attempts to establish a culture of violence and aggression within parliament with the strongest resolve. We condemn this regime’s efforts to maintain an unjust and unlawful order through violence. No matter the cost, we will persist in defending democracy, justice, and peace,” the DEM Party co-chairs affirmed.
The incident in parliament has further highlighted the deep political divisions in Turkey, as opposition parties struggle to challenge the increasingly authoritarian tendencies of the AKP-MHP alliance. The rejection of the motion to discuss Atalay’s status, despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling, is seen by many as another step in the erosion of democratic norms in the country.
