Turkey: Opposition divided over parliamentary immunity

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has opposed the idea of lifting the parliamentary immunity of deputies from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), amid statements from the government floating the move.

CHP leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu said Thursday the parliamentary immunity should either be lifted for everyone or not changed at all.

"There must not be double standards in politics, especially in state management," Kilicdaroglu said during a televised program.

"We want to have all immunities lifted, except at the podium," he said, referring to the type of immunity that ensures deputies are not held to account for statements made in the parliament.

Davutoglu said Wednesday the "podium immunity" -- similar to the Speech or Debate Clause in the U.S. constitution -- was inviolable, but MPs "cannot be tolerated for hiding behind the shield of [parliamentary] immunity” if they support terrorism, he said. The prime minister cited claims that some HDP deputies sought to fan civil disobedience and help to arm PKK terrorists.

On the other hand, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet Bahceli said on Tuesday that his party would not object to the lifting of HDP MPs' immunities.

"If the immunities of these so-called HDP politicians are to be lifted, there are no obstacles in Davutoglu and [AK Party's] way. Let them do it; let us get to the bottom of this in the parliament, and facilitate the work of the judiciary," said Bahceli.

Davutoglu had earlier slammed the HDP over the party’s call for autonomy in the southeast, where the Prime Minister said HDP municipalities fail to properly use state funds.

"They happen to talk about some kind of illegal structures like 'autonomy, self-government.'

“Then we ask, 'how come you claim this will help the region develop while you are spending the money given to you ... not on investment but something else'," he added, referring to government claims that some local administrations in the southeast region are financially aiding the PKK terrorist organization.

Davutoglu said a probe would address these claims.

Late December, HDP co-leader Selahattin Demirtas said his party would support calls for the formation of "democratic autonomous regions" in Turkey's southeast as one of 14 items in a final declaration of the Democratic Society Congress held in southeastern Diyarbakir province.