Turkish Opposition MPs Arrested after Losing Parliamentary Status

Turkish authorities arrested three opposition lawmakers on Friday after they were stripped of their parliamentary status the day before.

The lawmakers are Enis Berberoglu, from the main opposition Republican People's Party, CHP, who had been on trial for espionage, and Leyla Guven and Musa Farisogulları, from the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, HDP, who had been convicted of terrorism charges.

After the ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP, took the initiative to revoke the three MPs' status, courts in different cities ordered their arrests, which police carried out swiftly on Friday morning.

"Revoking Berberoglu's parliamentary membership … disregards the will of the people. We will continue our struggle for democracy to establish justice and rights," CHP leader Kemal Kılıcdaroglu said.

He called it a "continuation of the July 20 coup", referring to the date in 2016 when the government declared a state of emergency following a failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

"Turkey's parliament has removed our MPs' parliamentary membership in an unlawful step. Guven and Farisogullari represent the will of millions. Revocation of their parliamentary seats will not intimidate us and our peoples!" the HDP wrote on Twitter with a hashtag meaning "There is a putsch attempt in parliament".

Turkey's parliament has removed our MPs Leyla Güven and Musa Farisoğulları's parliamentary membership in an unlawful step. Güven & Farisoğulları represent the will of millions. Revocation of their parliamentary seats will not intimidate us and our peoples! #MeclisteDarbeVar pic.twitter.com/0PO0BFux0h

— HDP English (@HDPenglish) June 4, 2020

Berberoglu was sentenced in 2017 to five years and 10 months in jail...