DEM MP suffers laceration from punch
The Turkish National Assembly convened today for a special session in parliament in Ankara at the request of the opposition. The topic of the session was the imprisoned human rights lawyer Can Atalay, who was elected as a member of parliament last year on the list of the Turkish Workers’ Party (TIP) and is still in prison.
When TIP MP Ahmet Şık spoke on the subject at the lectern, a commotion broke out. Şık was knocked down by AKP politician Alpay Özalan. Several MPs from the ruling party attacked the opposition with their fists. The deputy parliamentary group leader of the DEM party, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, was also hit by a punch. She suffered a laceration on her head.
“Violent suppression of the opposition brought into parliament”
DEM chairmen Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan condemned the attack as “disregard for the will of the people and the law” and an expression of political impotence. “The AKP/MHP government is attacking the extra-parliamentary opposition in the most brutal way and is now taking this attitude into parliament. We reiterate that we will utterly oppose the AKP, which wants to introduce the law of violence and aggression in parliament. We condemn this attempt to maintain the regime of injustice and lawlessness by attacking opposition MPs. Whatever the cost, we will continue to stand up for democracy, justice and peace in our just cause without hesitation for a moment,” the co-chairmen of the DEM party said in a statement after the incident.
“Masculinity demonstrated”
The Women’s Council of the DEM Party issued a separate statement and said: “The representatives of the political rulers have once again demonstrated their masculinity.” The government has made it its mission to “suppress those it cannot defeat politically with violence and bullying.” The policy of oppression was once again put into practice today in order to silence the voice of the opposition and women. “In the attack, our deputy parliamentary group leader Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit was the target of violence by representatives of the fascist government. The incident is an indication of the misogynistic policy of the AKP/MHP government, which does nothing in the face of the increase in violence and massacres against women and repeatedly attacks the rights women have fought for. The attack on our comrade Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit is an attack on the will, color, attitude, politics and struggle of women. We will not allow illegality, violence against women and disregard for the will of the voters to be legitimized through pressure and violence. We do not accept male state violence, wherever we are, at home, on the street, in parliament, we will continue to fight.”
“When blood flows in parliament”
The chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, also expressed his horror at the attack and said: “What will citizens do if blood flows in parliament? Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş must intervene urgently. There is blood on the floor. They are beating women.” Afterwards, Özel and other CHP MPs went to the DEM party’s parliamentary office to inquire about Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit’s condition and to wish her a speedy recovery.
