Chaotic and bloody clashes break out in the Turkish parliament over imprisoned opposition leader

Chaos broke out in the Turkish parliament on Friday after a member of an opposition party called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s party a “terrorist organization.”

A member of Erdoğan's party approached Ahmet Sik, who belongs to the same Workers' Party of Turkey as a delegate believed to be imprisoned for political reasons, and attacked him after Sik made the “terrorist” claim.

“We are not surprised that you call Can Atalay a terrorist, just as you do with anyone who is not on your side,” Sik said in his speech. “But the biggest terrorists are those who sit in these seats.”

Soon dozens of MPs joined the fight, some throwing punches and throwing papers, while others tried to break up the fight.

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A member of parliament was hit and the parliamentary podium was covered in blood.

“It is a shameful situation,” Özgür Özel, leader of the Republican People's Party, the main opposition party, told the Associated Press. “Instead of words flying through the air, fists are flying. There is blood on the ground. They are beating women.”

Turkey's Grand National Assembly had debated Can Atalay, who was elected as a member of parliament in May 2023 while imprisoned for his role in the 2013 anti-government protests.

Atalay, who was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2022 for protests against Erdoğan's rule, wants to complete his term in parliament and said he would return to prison afterward.

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“It is a shameful situation,” Özgür Özel, leader of the Republican People's Party, the main opposition party, told the Associated Press. “Instead of words flying through the air, fists are flying. There is blood on the ground. They are beating women.” (Ruters/Cagla Gurdogan/TPX)

The parliamentary group would grant him immunity from prosecution.

In a ruling on August 1, the Constitutional Court declared that the decision not to allow Atalay to take his seat in parliament was “null and void” after parliament stripped him of his seat.

It was already the third ruling by the Constitutional Court in Atalay's favor, but the lower courts have so far ignored its decisions.

International human rights groups described the detention and conviction of Atalay and others, including philanthropist Osman Kavala, as arbitrary and politically motivated.

Dozens of MPs took part in the confrontation. Some hit people and threw papers, others tried to break up the fight. (Reuters/Cagla Gurdogan)

“Atalay’s personal freedom and security, as well as his right to be elected, which the Constitutional Court found to have been violated, should be restored,” Amnesty International’s Turkish office said in a social media post on Friday.

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Three hours later, Parliament reopened. Sik and the MP who had attacked him were reprimanded by the Speaker of Parliament.