Parties reconciled at delay of deputies’ execution of punishment

ANKARA

Political parties at Parliament reconciled the suspension of lawmakers’ execution of criminal sentence by amending Articles 83 and 84 of the Constitution. The reconciliation needs approval from the party leaders.

The punishment will be delayed until the end of the current Parliament’s mandate. Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies Mustafa Balbay and Mehmet Haberal, along with Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) lawmakers who were released last month will be subject to the agreement. 

The deputyship of Engin Alan from Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Sabahat Tuncel from BDP will be dropped at the end of the current Parliament’s mandate. The deputies’ trial will be under the authorization of Parliament, except from attempted murder.

Representatives from the three parties formed a commission to draft the Constitutional amendment that will solve the problem that has persisted since the June 2011 Parliamentary elections, when the CHP, MHP, and BDP all nominated figures who were behind bars.