Turkish parliament descends into fistfight

A fistfight broke out in Turkey’s parliament on Friday when an opposition deputy was attacked after calling for his jailed colleague to be freed.

The country’s MPs came together in an extraordinary meeting to discuss jailed opposition politician Can Atalay and his return to the chamber.

However, during the session, as the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP) politician Ahmet Sik was speaking, another MP, from the ruling AK party, Alpay Ozalan, confronted him at the speaker’s podium.

Video footage showed MPs for the ruling AK party rushing forward as one punched Mr Sik, and dozens more joined the melee, some trying to hold people back.

Blood was seen on the white steps of the speaker’s podium.

Several other politicians vacated their seats and rushed forward and a couple of MPs could be spotted filming the row as more people got involved.

“We’re not surprised that you call Can Atalay a terrorist, just as you do everyone who does not side with you,” Mr Sik told AK lawmakers in a speech.

“But the biggest terrorists are the ones sitting in these seats,” he added.

The deputy parliament speaker declared a 45-minute recess after the punch-up.

The TIP also called for Mr Atalay’s release from prison.

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Earlier this year, following months of legal and political turmoil that saw Turkey’s two highest courts clash, a decision by the Court of Appeals to strip lawyer and human rights activist Mr Atalay of his seat was read in parliament.

As the decision to strip Mr Atalay of his parliamentary seat was read out in January, by deputy speaker Bekir Bozdag, opposition lawmakers rushed the podium.

Some booed and held up signs reading “Freedom to Can Atalay”, while one threw a copy of the Turkish constitution at Mr Bozdag.

In August, following contrasting rulings from different courts over his conviction, the Constitutional Court came down in Mr Atalay’s favour over the decision to strip him of his parliamentary status, saying it was “null and void”.

Opposition parties then demanded a special session to discuss the outcome of the case.

The 47-year-old Mr Atalay was elected in May last year – representing the TIP – while serving an 18-year prison sentence.

Mr Atalay had been sentenced following his conviction over allegations he tried to overthrow the government by organising the nationwide Gezi Park protests in 2013.

The protests marked the biggest popular challenge to Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his two decades in power, first as prime minister and then as president.

Atalay was able to run in the parliamentary elections because the Court of Cassation had not upheld his conviction at the time.

But the court upheld Mr Atalay’s conviction in September, complicating the case.

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Atalay was convicted along with seven other defendants. They have all denied the accusations.

While not frequent, brawls are not unheard of in Turkish parliament, with AK lawmakers scuffling with pro-Kurdish DEM Party MPs in June.

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