DANGEROUS INSISTENCE

HIDDEN FROM PUBLIC SCRUTINY
Debate has commenced in the general assembly of parliament over the AKP’s constitutional proposals. The CHP and HDP have raised frequent procedural issues and submitted group proposals. The AKP has denied a proposal for the opposition’s speeches to be broadcast on Parliamentary TV. The CHP’s Deniz Baykal called out to AKP deputies: ‘The generals who bombed parliament made their minds subservient to a certain person. Do not rent your minds to anyone.’

AKP MPS ARE NOT ESCAPING THE PRESSURE
The AKP machine is sparing no means to prevent its party’s MPs from voting ‘no’. Deputy Prime-Minister Nurettin Canikli agreed that voting on the constitution must be through secret vote and then said that there is no obstacle to MPs casting open ballots. In doing so, he admitted that ‘vote colour’ pressure would be applied to AKP deputies.

RIOT-CONTROL VEHICLES STAND GUARD IN THE STREET
Union of Bar Associations Chair Metin Feyzioğlu has called on the proposed constitutional amendment to be withdrawn, saying: ‘If this proposal is adopted, Turkey will face the clear and imminent danger of partition.’ The police intervened forcefully to prevent a rally in opposition to dictatorship in front of the parliament building by trade unions, civil society organisations and political parties.