Parliament’s decision to strip a jailed opposition MP of his seat is “null and void”, Turkiye’s Constitutional Court has ruled, prompting calls by his lawyer and the opposition for his release and return to the assembly, Reuters has reported. Can Atalay was sentenced in 2022 after being convicted of trying to overthrow the government by allegedly organising the nationwide Gezi Park protests in 2013 with philanthropist Osman Kavala, also now jailed, and six others. All deny the charges. In January, parliament stripped Aralay of his seat following a judicial ruling. Atalay, 48, was elected to parliament in May last year to represent the Workers’ Party of Turkiye (TIP) while serving an 18-year prison sentence. The Constitutional Court had ruled in […]
