TURKIYE: In a dramatic turn of events, Turkiye's parliament was thrown into disarray on Friday as a physical altercation broke out among lawmakers during a debate about imprisoned opposition deputy Can Atalay. The commotion began when Ahmet Sik, a fellow member of the same party as Atalay, made a provocative statement from the podium. Sik denounced the ruling party as “terrorists,” sparking a violent response from members of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP party.
The confrontation quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl, with several deputies getting involved. The chaos resulted in injuries, including a female lawmaker who was hurt and left a trail of blood on the steps leading to the speaker’s lectern. Another opposition member also sustained injuries during the melee.
Footage from the incident shows AKP MPs aggressively confronting Sik at the lectern, while numerous others joined the fray, with some attempting to restrain their colleagues.
The tumultuous session was part of a broader discussion about Can Atalay, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2022. He was accused of attempting to overthrow the government by allegedly orchestrating the 2013 Gezi Park protests, alongside philanthropist Osman Kavala and six others. All the accused deny the charges. Despite his imprisonment, Atalay was elected to parliament in May last year representing the Workers' Party of Turkey (TIP). However, the parliament stripped him of his seat, only for the Constitutional Court to overturn this decision on August 1.
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