A heated confrontation broke out in Turkey’s parliament on Wednesday after lawmakers from the ruling get together and the opposition clashed over the controversial appointment of a brand new justice minister, disrupting proceedings and forcing a brief suspension of the session.
The scuffle erupted as opposition lawmakers tried to stop Akin Gurlek, newly appointed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, from taking his oath of workplace following a cupboard reshuffle. Gurlek’s nomination to the highly effective Justice Ministry has drawn sturdy criticism from opposition events, who accuse him of political bias.
Footage from the chamber confirmed lawmakers pushing and shoving one another, with some throwing punches as tensions spilled over into violence.
OPPOSITION MOVES TO BLOCK OATH
The confrontation unfolded when opposition legislators gathered close to the rostrum to dam Gurlek from continuing together with his swearing-in ceremony. Members of the ruling Justice and Improvement Social gathering (AK Social gathering) moved in to protect the nominee, resulting in a chaotic scene on the parliamentary flooring.
The speaker of parliament finally suspended the sitting for quarter-hour in an effort to revive order. After the break, Gurlek was capable of take his oath, surrounded by ruling get together lawmakers.
Gurlek beforehand served as Istanbul’s chief public prosecutor, the place he oversaw a number of high-profile instances involving members of the primary opposition Republican Folks’s Social gathering (CHP).
Opposition leaders have lengthy accused him of pursuing politically motivated prosecutions aimed toward weakening authorities critics. They argue that his elevation to justice minister additional undermines judicial independence within the nation.
The CHP and different opposition teams say his document raises critical issues about the way forward for the rule of regulation and democratic accountability in Turkey.
CABINET RESHUFFLE SPARK BACKLASH
The brawl got here amid a cupboard reshuffle introduced by Erdogan, which additionally included the appointment of Mustafa Ciftci, governor of Erzurum province, as inside minister.
The reshuffle takes place towards the backdrop of a sweeping anti-corruption marketing campaign that has focused municipalities run by opposition events. A whole lot of native officers affiliated with the CHP have been arrested lately.
Among the many most distinguished figures caught up within the investigations is Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, broadly seen as Erdogan’s primary political rival. Imamoglu was arrested final yr in reference to corruption and organised crime allegations.
In November, Gurlek filed a broad indictment towards Imamoglu, accusing him of 142 separate offences. Prosecutors sought a mixed jail sentence exceeding 2,000 years, a transfer that sparked widespread criticism at house and overseas.
– Ends
With inputs from companies
