Turkish Parliament Speaker condemns deputy fight in the Parliament

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The eyebrow of AKP deputy Mehmet Emin Dindar was ripped open in the melee, after which he was taken for treatment. AA Photo

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek has described as “irresponsible” the melee at Parliament between ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies, which ended in one MP being injured.

Çiçek called on both sides to “realize they are Parliament members and act accordingly, talk accordingly, and decide their actions accordingly.”

Ruling Şırnak deputy Mehmet Emin Dindar was slightly injured in a melee with main opposition deputies in Parliament on the night of July 6.

“The incident that took place in Parliament yesterday is sorrowful in every aspect. This kind of rude, vulgar behavior does not accord with the quality of being a lawmaker and the prestige of our Parliament. Unfortunately, at this legislative session a standard was somehow not fixed. We have repeatedly shared our disapproval of these sort of ugly incidents, which should be cursed, with the public,” Çiçek added. “However especially they did not take necessary lessons. Everyday, new negative incidents that sadden us happen.”

The fight started after Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdağ’s speech on an omnibus bill was interrupted by opposition deputies.

The CHP’s Süleyman Çelebi asked Bozdağ for details about unidentified assailants recorded in amateur video footage attacking protesters with machetes in Taksim on July 6. In the footage, one of the assailants is seen kicking a woman on her back while holding a machete in his hand, after a police intervention started against peaceful protestors in Taksim Square.

Another CHP deputy, Özgür Özel, asked if the government was investigating the identities of these people.

Bozdağ, however, wanted to complete his speech on the omnibus bill, ignoring the CHP deputies’ questions and asking Deputy Parliament Speaker Sadık Yakut to silence them. Yakut called for a break in the session, but the row continued with a number of AKP deputies heading to the CHP group’s seats. Tension continued after the break, when CHP deputy Mahmut Tanal walked up to Bozdağ who was still delivering his speech.

This time, the AKP deputies intervened to stop Tanal, resulting in swearing and fisticuffs. The eyebrow of AKP deputy Dindar was ripped open in the melee, after which he was taken for treatment.