HDP deputy Ahmet Yıldırım may lose seat in parliament for insulting Erdoğan

ISTANBUL

A resolution has been submitted to the Turkish Parliament that may lead to Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Ahmet Yıldırım to be stripped of his parliamentary status for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, daily Cumhuriyet reported on Feb. 16

If the resolution passes in parliament, it will be the first time a deputy would be stripped of their parliamentary status for insulting Erdoğan.

Yıldırım was sentenced to one year and two months in prison in June 2017 for insulting Erdoğan in a speech after the April 2017 referendum, which approved to shift the country’s parliamentary system into an executive-presidency one.

The decision was approved by a regional court of justice in the beginning of February.

The court included a provision in its decision that would lead Yıldırım to be stripped of the rights to “serve in public service,” “be employed in public service jobs” and “become the director or supervisor of legal entities such as associations, foundations, unions, companies, cooperatives and political parties.” 

On Feb. 6, another HDP lawmaker, Ferhat Encü, lost his parliamentary seat. HDP Deputy Group Chair Filiz Kerestecioğlu said the move meant that seven HDP MPs have now had their MP statuses revoked.

Following Encü’s removal, the HDP — the third largest party in parliament — now holds 52 seats in the 550-seat parliament. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) holds 316 seats and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has 131 seats.