Tuma Çelik’s legislative immunity lifted

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA) - Archive

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The legislative immunity of Independent Mardin MP Tuma Çelik has been lifted at the General Assembly of the Parliament.

A summary of proceedings was issued against Çelik on charges of "aggravated sexual assault" and "threat". The Parliamentary Constitution and Justice Mixed Commission convened on October 1 and expressed the opinion that his legislative immunity should be lifted.

Making a statement after the meeting of the Mixed Commission, Bekir Bozdağ, the Chair of the Commission and the Yozgat MP of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said, "Within the frame of the report prepared by the Drafting Commission, it has been decided that the immunity of Çelik be lifted and the file be sent to the General Assembly. The judgement rests with the General Assembly from now on."

Convened yesterday (October 7), the General Assembly of the Parliament has lifted the legislative immunity of MP Tuma Çelik.

What happened?

Facing charges for sexually assaulting a woman, Mardin MP Tuma Çelik resigned from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on July 18, 2020.

In his resignation letter, he said, "My work within the body of the Parliament and among the people must have disturbed some circles to such an extent that slanders, accusations and threats have been developed against my personality in a different way and in different dimensions. In addition to this, a woman started to blackmail me by casting aspersions.

"That this summary of proceedings has been put on the agenda with political motives while hundreds of others are pending does not change the fact that what is told is a lie. Knowing that the incident will be turned into a political plot after these developments, I have felt the need to inform the public. For this reason, I have decided to resign from the HDP so that my party will not be harmed and this allegation will not be abused.

"This needs to be known that if the investigation launched against me based on this allegation that has nothing to do with the reality ends in a fair trial, I believe that I will definitely be acquitted."

Tuma Çelik was discharged from the HDP in the party's Central Disciplinary Board Meeting on July 20. (EKN/SD)