Opposition lawmaker loses seat in Turkish parliament

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker Ferhat Encu lost his seat in the parliament in capital Ankara on Tuesday for making terrorist propaganda.

Encu was a lawmaker from southeastern Sirnak province.

His seat was revoked after the Sirnak Criminal Court's judgement against him was read in the parliament’s General Assembly.

According to the constitution, the crime of terror propaganda poses an obstacle for being lawmaker.

Lawmakers can lose their seats if they face sentences of more than one year in jail and if their cases are then referred to the parliament by the Justice Ministry; the court decision must also be read out in the parliament before any seat gets revoked.

After the expulsion, the opposition HDP holds 52 seats in the 550-seat parliament.

Ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party holds 316 seats, while the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has 131 seats.

The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has 36 seats, Good Party 5, and there is one independent deputy in the parliament.