MHP ‘ready’ to reinstate capital punishment if Turkish government is willing

ANKARA

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has voiced its support for reinstating capital punishment, if the Justice and Development Party (AKP) puts forward a constitutional amendment. 

“The people want [the implementation] of the death penalty. If the AKP is ready, the MHP has always been ready,” MHP head Devlet Bahçeli told his party’s lawmakers on Nov. 1. 

“Come and let’s resolve this issue,” Bahçeli said. 

The AKP has 316 seats in parliament and needs an extra 14 seats to take a constitutional amendment to a referendum. The MHP is the fourth largest party in the Turkish Parliament, with 40 seats. 

The death penalty was abolished in Turkey in 2004 in line with Ankara’s European Union accession process.