Turkish Parliament erupts in bloodshed: Historic brawls, fatal fights

The Turkish Parliament held a session after the Constitutional Court deemed the removal of Can Atalay’s parliamentary status “null and void”. Atalay, a member of the Workers’ Party of Türkiye (TIP) representing Hatay, was imprisoned and had his parliamentary position revoked.

However, the session quickly descended into chaos, resulting in a violent brawl.

The extraordinary session was intended to address the case of the imprisoned TIP Hatay Deputy Can Atalay, however, tensions flared when a dispute broke out between TIP Istanbul Deputy Ahmet Sik and ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) deputies.

2 MPs censured after brawl

AK Party Izmir Deputy Alpay Ozalan struck Sik, sparking a broader conflict between opposition deputies and AK Party MPs. The situation escalated to the point where blood was visible, leading to the adjournment of the session.

Following the altercation, both Sik and Ozalan were censured.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern in the Turkish Parliament, where brawls have erupted periodically throughout its history.

Although the assembly typically resumes its work after such disruptions, these events underscore the deep political polarization in Türkiye.

As debates over early elections continue and the economic crisis worsens, such clashes among parliamentarians reflect the broader societal divisions.

Turkish Parliament’s brawls in its history

One of the earliest fatal incidents in Parliament occurred on Feb. 9, 1925, when Ardahan Deputy Deli Halid Pasha was severely wounded in a gunfight with armed individuals and later died in the Parliament’s infirmary. This incident, unrelated to the discussion at hand, set a precedent for violence within the assembly.

On Feb. 23, 1958, another significant conflict unfolded, ignited by Democrat Party Tekirdag Deputy Zeki Erataman’s provocative speech. The altercation involved over a hundred deputies, leading to broken noses, damaged furniture, and even the speaker of the Parliament fleeing the scene.

MP dies after brawl, again

Parliament witnessed another fatal confrontation on March 29, 1989, when a dispute between Independent Siirt Deputy Zeki Celiker and ANAP Siirt Deputy Idris Arikan escalated into a shooting. Siirt Deputy Abdurrezak Ceylan was fatally shot while trying to intervene.

Another deadly incident occurred on Jan. 31, 2001, during a debate over parliamentary procedure. A fistfight between deputies from the True Path Party (DYP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) led to DYP Sanliurfa Deputy Fevzi Sihanlioglu suffering a fatal heart attack after being struck.

The People’s Alliance partners ruling AK Party and MHP were also involved in a fight in Parliament. On Aug. 4, 2014, a brawl broke out between AK Party and MHP deputies during a session of the Parliament. The fight erupted during the discussions of an MHP proposal for an investigation into the involvement of Turkish citizens in conflicts in neighboring countries.

Then-MHP Igdir Deputy Sinan Ogan accused the AK Party of discriminating among Turkmens during his speech, saying, “We condemn your racist, fascist mentality. I’m sorry, but you are fascists and racists.”

AK Party Isparta Deputy Recep Ozel responded by saying, “We know who the fascists are; we see it. Are you the ones standing up for the Turkmens? We love Arabs and Turkmens alike, for we love the creation because of the Creator.”

After returning to the podium for a response, Ogan’s speech triggered further arguments, which led to a physical confrontation among many deputies. Ogan was among those who were targeted with punches during the fight.

Women MPs brawl in Parliament

Fights in Parliament aren’t limited to male MPs. In January 2017, a brawl erupted when Independent Ankara Deputy Aylin Nazliaka handcuffed herself to a microphone during a constitutional amendment debate.

The altercation involved multiple deputies, with some sustaining serious injuries.

Ilknur Inceoz, then AK Party group deputy chairwoman, stated that while Ankara Independent MP Aylin Nazliaka handcuffed her to the rostrum of Parliament, she wrapped her wrist with a bandage from below and said, “I tried to remove the handcuff with three keys, and when I couldn’t, I unscrewed the microphone with a Phillips screwdriver and removed Nazliaka’s handcuffed arm from the microphone. She was then taken out of the General Assembly hall.” AK Party had denied the allegations of violence.

One of the most significant brawls occurred on March 4, 2020, during a debate over the safety of Turkish soldiers in Idlib. Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Group Chair Engin Ozkoc’s remarks criticizing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan triggered a violent confrontation involving about 40 deputies, leading to the adjournment of the session.

How effective are penalties?

These incidents illustrate the recurrent nature of violence within the Turkish Parliament. Despite the legislative immunity that protects deputies from certain legal actions, the effectiveness of penalties like temporary suspension remains questionable.

As history has shown, parliamentary brawls have resulted in the deaths of three deputies and injuries to many others.

The question remains: how many more such scenes will Parliament, where the voices of the people are meant to be represented, witness?