A MOB of MPs from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) physically attacked opposition MP Ahmet Shik to stop him speaking in a parliamentary debate last night.

Ahmet Shik (Pic: Hilmi Hacaloglu/Creative Commons)

A gang of AKP deputies surrounded People’s Democratic Party (HDP) MP Mr Shik as he criticised the Turkish government during a debate on new terror legislation.

The Istanbul MP was speaking on amendments to a number of laws and decrees when he was interrupted, with Izmir MP Alpay Ozalan physically attacking him.

They accused Mr Shik, a former journalist who was jailed on trumped-up terrorism charges after exposing infiltration of the state by the Gulenist organisation, of violating parliamentary regulations.

The session was suspended for five minutes after HDP politicians went to Mir Shik’s aid. When it reconvened, Mr Shik was given a warning and banned from the Grand Assembly for two sessions. Two-thirds of his monthly allowance and travelling expenses will be cut.

AKP MPs were angry after Mr Shik criticised the government for trying to “make the law a weapon and the judge a trigger” under new anti-terrorism legislation.

He branded the government “nothing but a simple cartoon of coup-plotters” using the state of emergency to strengthen its “power of evil and to justify your persecution.”

Mr Shik warned the government had become a “usurper of individuals’ rights” with “no single citizen” in Turkey having “the right to live pursuant to laws defined by global norms.”

“Turkey is now a so-called republic where laws have been put aside.

“The president of the country is not accredited by half of the nation. Similarly, he doesn’t rely on half of the nation.

“Your arrogance over being the ruler is remoulded with lies and ignorance,” he said.