DENİZ TEKİN
Murat Sarısaç, elected as an HDP MP from Van in 2018, now faces 20 separate lawsuits after losing his parliamentary immunity. Sarısaç, whose immunity was lifted after the May 14, 2023 elections, has been subject to 53 investigations, of which 20 have now turned into formal cases. His lawyer, Ruşen Seydaoğlu, argues that the legal actions against former MPs like Sarısaç serve as a deterrent to freedom of expression and political participation.
Following the recent elections, former MPs who were not re-elected have found themselves vulnerable to prosecution. The Parliamentary Crimes Investigation Bureau of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office received 1,190 dossiers seeking the removal of immunity for non-re-elected MPs, reducing the number of current immunity cases to 692.
Majority of immunity dossiers target DEM Party MPs
According to HDP data, as of September 18, 2024, 518 dossiers have been issued to DEM Party MPs, the highest among Turkey’s parliamentarians. Leading figures include Pervin Buldan with 108 dossiers, Salihe Aydeniz with 99, and Sezai Temelli with 86. Other high-profile MPs include Berdan Öztürk with 81 dossiers and Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit with 38.
These cases largely stem from legislative activities, political statements, and public comments made while in office, transforming political actions into grounds for legal proceedings. Sarısaç’s lawyer, Seydaoğlu, emphasized the deterrent impact of such lawsuits on democratic participation and political expression, particularly for those who have served in the public sphere.
