AKP deputy head Türkeş says he is against reintroduction of death penalty 

Cansu Çamlıbel - ANKARA

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Deputy Chair Tuğrul Türkeş has said he is against the reintroduction of the death penalty, a hotly-debated issue since Turkey’s failed July 15 military coup attempt. 

“I think the reintroduction will bring more harm than benefits. It’s also difficult to bring it back,” Türkeş told daily Hürryet, adding that he had voiced his opinion on many platforms. 

“We’ve been talking about this with our lawmaker friends and they all know that I’m against it,” he said.
Türkeş also stated thatconstitutional changes were not possible under the state of emergency in Turkey, commenting on recent debates on a charter change. 

“The charter cannot be changed under the state of emergency,” Tuğrul Türkeş told daily Hürriyet, adding that charter changes were absolute agreement texts. 

“Charter changes are absolute agreement texts. The Republican People’s Party is the main opposition and carries responsibilities,” he also said. 

Saying the “CHP cannot solve the constitutional change issue on the street,” Türkeş said the decision to lengthen the state of emergency had not yet been given.

“We’ll see if the state of emergency will be extended, but a country in a state of emergency cannot change its constitution,” he added. 

Turkey declared a three-month long state of emergency after the July 15 failed coup attempt, widely believed to have been masterminded by the followers of the U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen. It was later extended for another three months. 

During his interview, Türkeş also said his ideas on the timing of the constitutional change may cause debates inside the party. 

“If it creates a debate it’s fine because this needs to be discussed inside the party,” he also said.