In Turkish Parliament, 'Fists Are Flying'

A scuffle erupted in the Turkish parliament on Friday amid a fervent debate over jailed opposition lawmaker Can Atalay. Footage showed Ahmet Sik, who like Atalay is a member of the Workers' Party of Turkey, being attacked by a member of the ruling party after labeling them a "terrorist organization." The brawl, involving dozens, left some with injuries; drops of blood were seen on the floor near the speaker's lectern. Ozgur Ozel, who leads the largest opposition party, decried the chaotic scenes, stating, "Instead of words flying in the air, fists are flying. They are hitting women." The session continued three hours later, with both Sik and his attacker reprimanded.

The extraordinary session of the Turkish Grand National Assembly had been focusing on Atalay's case. He was in 2022 sentenced to 18 years in connection with his involvement in the 2013 anti-government protests; the following year, while imprisoned, he won an election to be a parliamentary deputy for the Workers' Party of Turkey. Despite successful Constitutional Court rulings declaring his parliamentary status valid, lower courts have ignored these decisions, prompting a judicial crisis. His case has drawn condemnation from rights groups and sparked widespread criticism. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)