Turkey: 2 opposition lawmakers lose seats in parliament

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Two deputies of the Turkish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) lost their seats in parliament on Tuesday.

Ahmet Yildirim, lawmaker from the eastern Mus province, lost his seat after being sentenced to more than one year in prison for the crime of insulting the president.

Ibrahim Ayhan, lawmaker from the southeastern Sanliurfa province, lost his seat for spreading terrorist propaganda.

Their seats were revoked after the court verdicts against them were read in parliament’s General Assembly.

Under the Constitution, the crime of terrorist propaganda is a disqualification for a parliamentary seat.

Lawmakers can lose their seats if they face sentences of more than one year in jail and if their cases are then referred to parliament by the Justice Ministry.

The court verdict must also be read out in parliament before a seat is revoked.

After the expulsions, the opposition HDP holds 50 seats in the 550-seat parliament.

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party holds 316 seats, while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has 131 seats, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has 36, the Good Party has five, and there is one independent deputy.