Kılıçdaroğlu proposes to lift immunity of former ministers

Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has proposed that Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu lift the immunity of all deputies, including former ministers.

However, article 83 of the constitution, which concerns immunity, only gives immunity to deputies and ministers during their term in Parliament. Kılıçdaroğlu asserted that his party has never hidden behind the shield of immunity. Referring to the four former ministers who resigned their post after the Gülenist-orchestrated Dec. 17 and Dec. 25 operations in 2013, which were conducted under a mask of corruption and illegal wiretapping, Kılıçdaroğlu said that the immunity of those former ministers already out of parliament should be lifted.

"The ministers' immunity should be lifted, whether they are current or former ministers. If they are going to jail us after the immunity are lifted, they can go for it," Kılıçdaroğlu said.