Main opposition CHP stages 'stay-in' protest in parliament over by-law discussions

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmakers have staged a protest in the parliament, arguing they had not been given enough of the floor to speak during parliamentary discussions for a by-law amendment draft.

"The CHP group will not leave parliament tonight and will show peaceful resistance as had been done during the justice march as a reaction to the silencing of the opposition. We will continue to defend the right of voice in the nation," CHP deputy group leader Özgür Özel said on late July 27 after the parliament had voted on 14 articles of the 18-article amendment draft of the parliamentary internal regulation.

"As the amendment had been brought to the general assembly agenda as a basic law, our 54 lawmakers had the right to speak. However, only 21 CHP lawmakers had been given the floor to speak, and [with the amendment] their 10-minute speaking time will be reduced to 3 minutes," Özel said, regarding it as "silencing the opposition."

Parliament deputy speaker Ahmet Aydın then criticized the CHP's decision to stage a protest in the parliament.

"This is not the street; it is the parliament of the people. Please avoid any attitudes or actions that would peril the parliament and quit any actions that are not suitable for it," Aydın said.

Opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy group leader Erkan Akçay had also expressed criticisms to Özel's words accusing the CHP to "transform the general assembly to a field of demonstration."

Following Aydın's warning, opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy group leader Filiz Kerestecioğlu supported the CHP's protest.

"We agree with our friends in the CHP. Everyone has a right to use their democratic right everywhere. To protest is a...