Second local court refuses Berberoğlu's appeal against new proposal seeking to lift his immunity

Duvar English

After the Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court, the Istanbul 15th Heavy Penal Court has also rejected main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker's appeal against a newly prepared proposal seeking to lift his immunity from prosecution.

The Istanbul 15th Heavy Penal Court said that the lower court's decision was in line with the regulations.

Earlier in February, Berberoğlu officially regained his position as an MP after criminal complaints were halted against him.

The Istanbul 14th Heavy Criminal Court dropped the charges following a ruling by the Constitutional Court which decided on Jan. 21 that Berberoglu’s rights to stand for elections and engage in political activities had been violated since legal proceedings against him should have been suspended due to his re-election as a member of parliament during the June 2018 elections.

However, the Istanbul 14th Heavy Criminal Court prepared another summary of proceedings against Berberoğlu and submitted it to the Justice Ministry on Feb. 9 which paves the way for a retrial.

Berberoğlu's lawyers appealed this fresh summary of proceedings saying that it includes more serious allegations against the deputy and demanded the court to draft another one. The Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court rejected the lawyers' petition, which promoted them to take the case to the higher Istanbul 15th Heavy Penal Court.

If Parliament again votes to strip Berberoğlu of his immunity from prosecution, he will be retried by courts.

Parliament initially stripped Berberoğlu of his parliamentary status last June along with two pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) MPs when convictions against them became final.

Berberoglu was initially sentenced to 25 years in prison on spying charges in 2017 after being accused of giving an opposition newspaper video purporting to show Turkey’s intelligence agency trucking weapons into Syria.