Three lawmakers, Leyla Güven, Musa Farisoğulları from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Enis Berberoğlu from the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP), were stripped of their lawmaker status on Thursday, Reuters reported.
Berberoğlu was convicted for “disclosing government secrets” while Güven and Farisoğulları are were convicted of “being a member of a terrorist organization.”
“This disregards the national will. We will continue the democratic fight to obtain justice, rights and law,” CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu wrote on Twitter.
The Turkish government has repeatedly accused the HDP of ties to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has fought against the state in the largely Kurdish Southeast since 1984.
So far, 13 HDP deputies have lost their parliamentary status for similar accusiations.
HDP deputy Leyla Güven detained by police
Hours after she was stripped of her lawmaker status on Thursday, Leyla Güven was detained by Turkish police.
“I’m being detained,” she tweeted.
Gözaltına alınıyorum. #BerxwedanJiyane
— Leyla Güven (@LeylaGuvenkcd) June 4, 2020
This is how pro-Kurdish HDP deputy @LeylaGuvenkcd reacted the moment she found out Turkish parliament voted to end her lawmaker rights: "Berxwedan Jiyan (Living is fighting) || https://t.co/2oHCeTZPC2 pic.twitter.com/DN05ybg5Qa
— Turkey Purge (@TurkeyPurge) June 4, 2020
