6 more pro-PKK HDP deputies called to testify


Diyarbakır Prosecutor's Office called six pro-PKK Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies to testify on charges of being a member of a terrorist group and spreading terrorist propaganda.

Leyla Zana, Altan Tan, Meral Danış Beştaş, Sibel Yiğitalp, İmam Taşıçer and Nimetullah Erdoğmuş will give testimony on charges that they are members of a terrorist group spreading terror propaganda.

After the lifting of parliamentary immunity was published in the Official Gazzette, prosecutors have been working on the investigations.

The aforementioned prosecutor's office previously called HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş to testify on the same charges as well.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in early June signed Law No. 6178 to lift certain deputies' parliamentary immunities after the law passed in Parliament with 376 votes on May 20, giving way to a constitutional amendment.

Following the announcement of the constitutional amendment in the Official Gazette, Parliament delivered the dossiers of the deputies whose immunities were lifted to the Prime Ministry and then to the Justice Ministry.

The prosecutor's offices have launched extensive investigations for each dossier, conducted accordingly with the Turkish Criminal Law and Law of Criminal Procedure (CMK).

The lifting of parliamentary immunities only paves the way for trials. Membership in Parliament will only be canceled in the case of convictions or restrictions by the General Board of Decision and the General Assembly.