A violent brawl broke out in the Turkish parliament on August 15th, 2023, after an opposition MP, Ahmet Sik, was attacked by members of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The incident was sparked by Sik’s call for the reinstatement of his jailed colleague, Can Atalay, who was elected to parliament in May 2023 but stripped of his seat. Atalay, a lawyer and rights activist, had been sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2022 for allegedly organizing the Gezi Park protests in 2013.
Sik’s speech, in which he condemned the AKP for jailing Atalay and accused them of being the “biggest terrorists of this country,” enraged AKP MP Alpay Ozalan, a former footballer. Ozalan rushed to the rostrum and shoved Sik, triggering a full-blown brawl. Several other MPs joined the fight, resulting in injuries and blood stains on the parliament floor. According to reports, two deputies, one from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and another from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) party, sustained head injuries.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation, with the chief of the main opposition CHP party, Ozgur Oael, expressing shame and calling for accountability. The parliament speaker announced sanctions against the two deputies involved in the brawl. The incident highlights the escalating tensions between the ruling AKP and the opposition in Turkey, particularly in the wake of Atalay’s imprisonment and the controversy surrounding his exclusion from parliament. The brawl underscores the deeply polarized political landscape in the country and raises concerns about the future of democratic debate and peaceful dissent.
