This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-36344314
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Parliament in Turkey backs lifting immunity from prosecution | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The Turkish parliament has approved a controversial bill that will strip MPs of their immunity from prosecution. | |
Pro-Kurdish lawmakers say the bill is essentially a move to expel opposition members from parliament. | |
The measure is seen as targeting the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) as well as the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). | |
Turkey has led an offensive against the PKK, accused of being a terrorist group. | |
A ceasefire ended weeks after elections in June 2015. The renewed conflict has claimed hundreds of lives on both sides, particularly in the south-east. | |
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for pro-Kurdish MPs to face terrorism charges and Friday's vote could be a first step towards making that happen. | |
The bill was backed by 376 MPs in the 550-seat legislature, which means it will become law directly without being put to a referendum, parliamentary speaker Ismail Kahraman said. |