Turkey committee approves decision to strip legislators of legal immunity

PanARMENIAN.Net - A Turkish parliamentary committee has approved a contentious ruling-party proposal to strip legislators of their immunity from prosecution, hours after the meeting erupted in chaos with legislators hurling bottles of water and punches at each other, the Assiciated Press reports.

The proposed constitutional amendment, cleared by the committee late on Monday, could pave the way for the trial of several pro-Kurdish legislators on terror-related charges. The proposal was prepared after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the party of being an arm of the outlawed Kurdish rebels and repeatedly called for their prosecution.

The pro-Kurdish party lawmakers walked out of the committee meeting after the brawl, which left one legislator with a dislocated shoulder, AP says.

The draft was later approved by the remaining legislators. It must now be approved by the full assembly.

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