ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkey’s Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling sentencing Osman Baydemir, a People’s Democratic Party (HDP) MP, to one year, five months and 15 days in jail for “insulting” the police. As a result of the conviction, he could lose his seat in parliament.
Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet claims Baydemir could be thrown out of parliament because another HDP deputy lost his seat for “insulting the president."
HDP spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen confirmed to Rudaw English that Baydemir could possibly be stripped of his parliamentary status.
"Whenever it is sent to the parliament, it will be under the authority of the speaker of the parliament," he explained.
Ahmed Yildirim, HDP deputy to Mus province, lost his seat in parliament on February 27 after he was sentenced to one year and two months in jail for “insulting the president.” He called Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “parody king” when he moved to cement power in his office by ending the parliamentary system and adopting an executive presidency.
Baydemir was accused of insulting the police when he was governor of Diyarbakir in 2012. He challenged the ruling, which was upheld by a second court in Gaziantep on February 23, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.
Cumhuriyet explained that once the Turkish prime minister sends an official letter to parliament to drop Baydemir’s membership, Baydemir will no longer be an MP.
Baydemir caused a stir late last year when he declared in the Turkish parliament that Kurdistan exists in his heart, earning himself a suspension from the legislature.
Nine HDP lawmakers have already been stripped of their parliamentary positions after being convicted of alleged ties with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Updated at 4:38 pm
Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet claims Baydemir could be thrown out of parliament because another HDP deputy lost his seat for “insulting the president."
HDP spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen confirmed to Rudaw English that Baydemir could possibly be stripped of his parliamentary status.
"Whenever it is sent to the parliament, it will be under the authority of the speaker of the parliament," he explained.
Ahmed Yildirim, HDP deputy to Mus province, lost his seat in parliament on February 27 after he was sentenced to one year and two months in jail for “insulting the president.” He called Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “parody king” when he moved to cement power in his office by ending the parliamentary system and adopting an executive presidency.
Baydemir was accused of insulting the police when he was governor of Diyarbakir in 2012. He challenged the ruling, which was upheld by a second court in Gaziantep on February 23, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.
Cumhuriyet explained that once the Turkish prime minister sends an official letter to parliament to drop Baydemir’s membership, Baydemir will no longer be an MP.
Baydemir caused a stir late last year when he declared in the Turkish parliament that Kurdistan exists in his heart, earning himself a suspension from the legislature.
Nine HDP lawmakers have already been stripped of their parliamentary positions after being convicted of alleged ties with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
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