Demand for lifting immunities of HDP deputies submitted to Turkish parliament

A summary of proceedings asking for the removal of the parliamentary immunities of five Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputies, including co-chairs Selahattin Demirta? and Figen Yüksekda?, has been submitted to the parliament speaker. 

The demand, which was prepared by a prosecutor in the southeastern province of Diyarbak?r and submitted to the Justice Ministry on Feb. 4, accuses the deputies of "provoking the people" and "being a member to an armed organization," referring to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). 

The ministry then sent the demand to the Prime Ministry, Anadolu Agency reported on March 4.
 
Probes against the lawmakers were launched over crimes against the constitutional order after they attended a meeting of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) in southeastern Diyarbak?r province between Dec. 26 and 27, 2015.

The establishment of "democratic autonomous regions" was presented as a solution to the Kurdish problem during the meetings in Diyarbak?r.

"We will evaluate all these [the summaries of proceedings] with our parliament speaker and, if need be, with representatives from other political parties, after the budget [discussions]," Prime Minister Ahmet Davuto?lu said in a televised interview on March 5. 

He added that requesting parliament to lift deputy immunities may "seem like a new practice," but is, in fact, "routine."

President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has also urged the parliament and the judiciary to take steps to lift the immunities of HDP deputies. 

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) officials have repeatedly said they were against closures of parties but have not ruled out judicial acts against lawmakers. 

Demirta? alone is the subject of some...