Commission to investigate eavesdropping

ANKARA

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has decided to support proposals introduced by the opposition to launch a parliamentary investigation into legal and illegal eavesdropping and video recording incidents.

Both the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) introduced separate proposals on the issue earlier in the year. In the coming days, the AKP will introduce its own proposal for the formation of “a parliamentary investigation commission” on the issue. Afterwards, each of the proposals will be united and assessed accordingly.

“After the commission is formed, not only will illegal eavesdropping be investigated, but also legal eavesdropping,” the MHP’s deputy parliamentary group chair told the Hürriyet Daily News yesterday.

A parliamentary investigation commission functions for a period of four months, with political parties at Parliament represented in the commission according to the proportionate amount of seats they carry in Parliament.

Illegal eavesdropping became a popular topic of debate after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made it public Dec. 21 that wiretapping devices had been found in his home office.