Turkey: three opposition MPs stripped of their mandate

Convicted by justice, three opposition deputies were stripped of their mandate in the Turkish Parliament, this June 4, 2020. (illustration image) REUTERS / Umit Bektas

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The Turkish Parliament has deprived this Thursday, June 4, three of its members of their mandate of deputy. These elected officials were subject to a criminal conviction validated by the Court of Cassation. However, they could have continued to sit until the end of their mandate if this conviction had not been placed on the agenda of Parliament. 

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With our correspondent in Istanbul , Anne Andlauer

After two months of vacation due to an epidemic, the Turkish Parliament therefore resumes its private work with three of its members. Their colleagues voted, by majority and at the end of a stormy session, in favor of the forfeiture of their parliamentary mandate. Common point of these three elected officials: they were sentenced by the justice system, and this criminal conviction was confirmed by the court of cassation. They are now at risk of being imprisoned.

Enis Berberoğlu, elected member of the main opposition party, the Social Democratic CHP , received a sentence of five years and 10 months in prison. The former journalist was accused of transmitting state secrets to the daily Cumhuriyet. In this case, documents revealing that the state had sent weapons to rebel groups in Syria.

Musa Farisoğulları and Leyla Güven were members of the pro-Kurdish party, the HDP . They had been found guilty of "  belonging to a terrorist group  ".

The final condemnation of these three elected officials took place several months ago - in September 2018 in the case of Enis Berberoğlu, in September 2019 for his two colleagues. They could have retained their parliamentary mandate - and their freedom - if their condemnation had not been read before Parliament. The opposition denounced a "  civil coup  "

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  • Turkey
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