Top court rejects application on canceling decision to strip Gergerlioğlu of MP status

The Constitutional Court has rejected an application filed by HDP deputy Erol Katırcıoğlu for the cancellation of the decision to strip Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu of MP status on the grounds of "non-competence." The application filed by Gergerlioğlu will be handled separately.

Wednesday March 31 2021 12:19 pm

Duvar English

Turkey's Constitutional Court has rejected an application regarding the cancellation of the decision to strip Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu of his parliamentary status on "non-competence" grounds.

The application was filed by Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Erol Katırcıoğlu and there's a separate case filed by Gergerlioğlu himself for the cancellation of the decision.

The top court rejected Katırcıoğlu's application unanimously on March 31, saying that the issue is under the authority of the Parliament Speaker's Office.

Gergerlioğlu's status as a member of parliament was removed on March 17 over "making terror propaganda" through sharing a news article on social media regarding the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The move drew global condemnation.

Gergerlioğlu on March 31 commented on the top court's decision, saying that he will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights (EHCR).

"We filed two applications. The main case is the one we filed on March 23. We're waiting for an answer to that," he said.