Kılıçdaroğlu defends stance on immunity after backlash

Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, leader of Turkey's Republican People's Party (CHP), has reaffirmed his position against parliamentary immunity, stating that he finds no immunity acceptable other than speech immunity. This comes after facing criticism for his comment, "I do not regret it," regarding the lifting of former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş's parliamentary immunity.

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Apart from speech immunity, I do not find any other immunity acceptable.

Kılıçdaroğlu addressed the controversy, explaining the CHP's decision to vote in favor of lifting immunities in 2016. He described it as a strategic move to thwart the ruling AK Party's "perception operation" and political trap. The CHP's aim, he said, was to demonstrate that politicians were not afraid of facing legal consequences and to prevent the country from becoming dangerously polarized. "We took a risk; we prevented this nightmare and the country's dangerous polarization," Kılıçdaroğlu stated, adding that their majority allowed for this action.

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We took a risk; we prevented this nightmare and the country's dangerous polarization.

He further criticized the AK Party government, accusing it of later abusing the judiciary as a "stick" and violating legal processes and universal legal principles. Kılıçdaroğlu alleged that politicians were promptly detained and arrested after their immunities were removed, contrary to the expected legal procedure of trial without detention. "The ones who should be blamed are not the opposition, but the Palace regime that murdered the law," he asserted.

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The ones who should be blamed are not the opposition, but the Palace regime that murdered the law.

Kılıçdaroğlu also touched upon the situation of Selahattin Demirtaş, who is currently imprisoned. He stated that he and the CHP have consistently voiced opposition to the "unjust and unlawful" imprisonment of Demirtaş and other political prisoners, actively campaigning for the implementation of European Court of Human Rights decisions and Demirtaş's freedom. He implied that some individuals claiming to be Demirtaş's allies are ignoring this struggle and engaging in secret negotiations with the Erdoğan administration.

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We have always raised the loudest voice against the unjust, unlawful imprisonment of Mr. Demirtaş and all political prisoners from day one.