Özgür Özel

Venice Commission, which is the constitutional consultative body of the Council of Europe, is visiting Turkey to investigate the current embattled state of media freedom under the ongoing state of emergency.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has vowed to take charter changes to the Constitutional Court for annulment as many ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmakers have violated the "secret ballot" principle, a senior party official has said, adding that they would strongly resist in the second round of the voting process expected to commence on Jan. 18. 

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) have said they will support an early election instead of initiating a "regime change" after the ruling Justice and Development Party and opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) said an early election would be held if a contentious charter package is not approved by parliament. 

The Turkish parliament began debating on Jan. 9 a constitutional amendment package that will change the system into an executive presidency amid protests by opposition groups that say the move will result in a dictatorship. 

Turkey's constitutional commission has begun negotiations on a new charter amid tension, as two opposition parties' objection to the proposal on the grounds that it contradicts the first articles of the current constitution and that the state of emergency is still in effect was rejected by the parliamentary commission chair. 

Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman brought together the group deputy chairpersons of all parties at Turkey's parliament on Dec. 13, after fists flew once again at the General Assembly on Dec. 12. 

Along with the heightened tension at parliament meetings, jailed deputies were also on the agenda of the meeting, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. 

A recent column by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Ankara lawmaker Aydın Ünal in which he included the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) on a list of terrorist organizations has provoked criticism in his own party while causing outrage among CHP members. 

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) will continue to support the four-article written statement it issued on the recent arrest of opposition lawmakers and journalists and will not surrender to "fear and darkness," CHP Deputy Chair and spokesperson Selin Sayek Böke said on Nov.

Bülent Tezcan, the deputy chairman of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), has been wounded, daily Hürriyet reported on its website on Oct. 29. 

Tezcan was shot on his foot while he was in a restaurant in the Aaegean province of Aydın, the report said. 

​The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has shared a proposal to establish an inter-party commission with opposition parties to evaluate the criticisms directed at the implementation of decree laws. 

The commission, according to the AKP's proposition, will be composed of five members, one member from each parties which has a group in the parliament, as well as one minister.