There are a total of 758 dossiers in the Turkish Parliament that seek to remove the parliamentary immunity of 171 deputies, 526 of whom are Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs, Turkish media reports said on Monday.
HDP deputies often face terrorism charges, and the party is frequently accused of links to the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK); yet, the HDP denies any connections to the PKK, which has been waging a bloody war in Turkey’s Southeast since 1984.
There are seven dossiers about six ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies; 207 concerning 97 main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputies; five on three Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputies; and five dossiers involving five İYİ (Good) Party deputies.
There are also six such dossiers regarding two Turkish Communist Party (TİP) deputies and one on an independent deputy.
CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and HDP co-chairpersons Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli also are the subject of dossiers that seek to remove their parliamentary immunity.
The prosecution of members of parliament has been possible since the CHP and the MHP lent support to a 2016 proposal submitted by the AKP on removing deputies’ immunity from prosecution.
The immunity of all deputies who face investigation was lifted in May 2016.