Turkish MPs back bill lifting immunity
The Turkish parliament has approved a controversial bill that will strip MPs of their immunity from prosecution.
Pro-Kurdish lawmakers say this is essentially a move to expel opposition members from parliament.
The measure is seen as targeting the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) as well as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP).
Turkey has led an offensive against the insurgent PKK, accused of being a terrorist group.
A ceasefire ended weeks after elections in June 2015. The renewed conflict has claimed hundreds of lives on both sides, particularly in the south-east.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for pro-Kurdish MPs to face terrorism charges and this vote could be a first step towards making that happen.
The bill was backed by 376 MPs in the 550-seat legislature, which means it will become law directly without being put to a referendum, parliamentary Speaker Ismail Kahraman said.
Violent scuffles marred parliamentary debates this month, with frustrated lawmakers exchanging fisticuffs and kicks.
Friday's vote was not without incident as CHP lawmakers walked out in protest.
Erdogan said the vote was "historic" during a televised speech in his hometown of Rize.
"My people do not want to see guilty lawmakers in this parliament," he said as lawmakers voted.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said she would raise concerns over the state of democracy in Turkey when she met Erdogan next week.
Comments