Turban Crisis Solved

The motion that introduces “2-5 year imprisonment to the public officials who prevent education right” had led to great debates between the deputies of ruling Justice and Development Party and opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) last week and had been postponed to today because of the protests and withdrawal threats of CHP deputies.

At the beginning of the session today, AKP deputy Hakki Koylu said that they discussed the motion in the sub-commission and decided to demand that the motion not to be approved. Then, Justice Minister Cemil Cicek, who did not join the voting later, said “All of us work under the framework of a democratic and secular state of law. If we lacked such a state we could not have the possibility to be here. We are all sensitive about preserving these principles. Here we may do every kind of discussions but it would not be right if we seem as one side is protecting these principles while the other side is opposing. We should not discuss the matter in the axis of pro-secularism/anti-secularism.”

After the speech of the minister, the motion was voted and rejected. None of the AKP deputies, except for Kara who put forward the motion, joined the voting.

5 different articles were approved in the commission afterwards. The session continues.