Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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594. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he is aware of the efforts of the Turkish Government to lift the legislative immunity that is granted to Members of the Turkish Parliament; that the Turkish Government is attempting to do this by suspending Article 83 of the Turkish Constitution; that this is an anti-democratic move and is an attempt to silence the Peoples’ Democratic Party whose members are regularly arrested for political reasons; and if he will raise concerns with his Turkish counterpart at this undemocratic move and attempt to silence the Members of Parliament of that party. [9797/16]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of this proposal, initiated by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), to lift the immunity from prosecution of some 130 Members of the Turkish Parliament through the suspension of Chapter 83 of the Constitution. I understand the draft legislative change was initially discussed by Parliamentary Committee in late April. On 2 May, the Committee approved the draft proposal, although it will still need to be approved by Parliament before the draft change could take effect.

I am aware too that members of the Kurdish-leaning People’s Democratic Party (HDP) have expressed serious concern that these proposed changes specifically target their Members of the National Assembly.

It would be a matter of very serious concern if the current proposal on the lifting of immunity were used to target a specific parliamentary grouping or to restrict the right to freedom of expression. Immunity should be applied in a non-discriminatory way and any decision to remove immunity ought to be based on transparent criteria, and not as a result of political considerations.

Along with our partners in the EU, we will continue to follow closely developments on this issue, including through our Embassy in Ankara.