Paylan threatened to be deprived of MP mandate and citizenship
Arif Koroglu, head of the Edirne office of Turkey’s Great Unity Party (BBP), along with several citizens, filed a lawsuit against lawmaker Garo Paylan, milliyet reports. Koroglu told reporters outside the Justice Palace of Edirne that “Paylan has publicly incited people towards hatred and hostility.”
According to him, by saying the word “Genocide” in the Turkish Parliament, Paylan has “humiliated the Turkish people.”
Garo Paylan, Turkish lawmaker of Armenian descent, has used the term “Genocide” in Turkey’s Parliament on January 13 during the constitutional changes debates. Paylan’s speech received harsh response from the ruling AK party and the opposition Nationalist Movement party. Paylan was demanded to distance from the word “genocide.”
After Paylan refused to do so, he was banned from 3 Parliamentary sessions, and his speech was removed from the Parliament’s records. Paylan appealed to the Constitutional Court of Turkey, labeling the situation as a violation of his MP immunity and violation of freedom of speech. In addition to appealing to the court, Paylan demanded the Parliament to refrain from the decision which is conflicting with the rules of procedure.
