Despite two rulings from the Constitutional Court declaring a violation of rights, Turkey’s Worker’s Party (TİP) Hatay Deputy Can Atalay, who has not been released, faced a decision from the 3rd Criminal Division of the Court of Cassation, which was announced during the General Assembly of the Parliament.
Can Atalay has lost his status as a member of the Turkish Parliament. He was elected to parliament in May last year representing the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP), an ally of the pro-Kurdish DEM party. The decision to revoke his parliamentary membership was announced by the AKP Group Deputy Chair, and it was read out in the Parliament[1][3][5]. Atalay had been elected to the legislature from jail in May’s parliamentary elections but was subsequently sentenced to 18 years in prison[4].
Citations:
[1] https://bianet.org/haber/can-atalay-loses-mp-status-291212
[2] https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkish-parliament-strips-status-opposition-mp-after-judicial-clash-2024-01-30/
[3] https://bianet.org/haber/akp-group-deputy-chair-can-atalay-s-parliamentary-membership-will-be-revoked-291189
[4] https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/turkey/30012024
[5] https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2024-01-30/turkish-parliament-strips-status-of-opposition-mp-after-judicial-clash
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