Gezi Park protests

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has asserted that his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) "stands unrivaled" in its commitment to serving the nation.

Erdoğan's remarks came during an event in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa, where he unveiled the AKP's mayoral candidates in the city for the upcoming local elections.

The parliament has stripped imprisoned Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP) lawmaker Can Atalay of his parliamentary status, defying a ruling by the top court last September.

The decision by the Court of Appeals to unseat Atalay, who was elected to the parliament in last May's election while in prison, was read in the parliament on Jan. 30.

The Court of Appeals chief Mehmet Akarca admitted to "longstanding differences of opinion" between his high court and the Constitutional Court, following a judiciary saga over the persistent defiance of the latter's rulings in the case of jailed MP Can Atalay.

A judiciary saga over the top appeals court's persistent defiance of the Constitutional Court's rulings in the case of jailed MP Can Atalay has prompted Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç to recall that the lawmaker's original "conviction is already finalized."

The Supreme Court of Appeals has decided to file criminal complaints against members of the Constitutional Court over a profound disagreement on the case of imprisoned Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP) lawmaker Can Atalay, in a first and unprecedented legal dispute in the history of the Turkish judiciary.

Türkiye's top court has ruled in favor of Can Atalay, the imprisoned lawmaker from the Workers' Party of Türkiye (TİP), declaring a "violation of rights in terms of the right to be elected and the right to personal liberty and security" in his case related to the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

Supporters of imprisoned People's Democratic Party (HDP) presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtas at an election campaign office in Istanbul, June 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

The Committee of Ministers decided on Thursday that "a document setting out the possible options" for sanctions should be prepared for discussion at the committee's meeting in September.

The Workers' Party of Turkey, TIP, holds a protest in Istanbul. Photo: Workers' Party of Turkey

"We demand respect for the will of the people of Hatay," the TIP said in a statement.

"What is happening is against the constitution in every way. End this illegality and enforce the laws from which you derive your authority," it added.

Hundreds of women took to the streets to hold a "feminist night march" in Istanbul's Taksim neighborhood despite bans on the evening of March 8 to mark International Women's Day.

The United Nations Human Rights Committee on June 2 asked Serbia to delay the extradition of Ecevit Piroglu, a Kurdish politician and activist wanted by Turkey, until it reviews the case.