Parliamentary Speaker's Office

Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman denied imprisoned co-chair of People's Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş's request to be connected to the HDP group meeting from prison via an audio visual informatics system (SEGBİS).

Turkey's Parliamentary Speaker's Office has decided to pay 71,000 Turkish Liras ($20,000) in compensation to former deputy Merve Kavakçı, who was recently appointed as ambassador to Kuala Lumpur, over her ban from parliament in 1999, daily Cumhuriyet reported on Aug. 16.

The imprisoned co-leader of the Kurdish-issue focused People's Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaş, issued a petition to the Parliamentary Speaker's Office to address his party group from prison via audio-visual information technology (SEGBİS) as a response to the Justice Ministry's defense to the top court.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has issued a motion for a parliamentary investigation demanding additional security measures be taken for the justice march from Ankara to Istanbul.

The motion comes after CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu raised concerns about further "provocations" directed at the march as it approaches Istanbul. 

A public prosecutor in Diyarbakır has submitted a summary of proceeding for a main opposition lawmaker on terror charges, further increasing the number of Republican People's Party (CHP) deputies facing legal action.

Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman brought together the group deputy chairpersons of all parties at Turkey's parliament on Dec. 13, after fists flew once again at the General Assembly on Dec. 12. 

Along with the heightened tension at parliament meetings, jailed deputies were also on the agenda of the meeting, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. 

The Turkish parliament's Constitution Committee has approved a proposal from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for a constitutional amendment to lower the age of candidacy at the parliamentary level from 25 to 18 years old.