Europe

Turkey's parliament debating government-backed immunity bill

Associated Press
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Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of opposition Republican People's Party, addresses his lawmakers at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, May 17, 2016.Turkey's parliament is discussing a controversial immunity amendment, which was drafted by the ruling party after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party of being an arm of the outlawed Kurdish rebel group.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) (The Associated Press)

Supporters and lawmakers cheer Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of opposition Republican People's Party, as he addresses at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Turkey's parliament is discussing a controversial immunity amendment, which was drafted by the ruling party after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party of being an arm of the outlawed Kurdish rebel group. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) (The Associated Press)

Supporters listen to Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party, the HDP, at the parliament in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, May 17, 2016. Turkey's parliament is discussing a controversial immunity amendment, which was drafted by the ruling party after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the HDP of being an arm of the outlawed Kurdish rebel group. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) (The Associated Press)

Turkey's parliament is holding a session to debate a government-backed bill that would strip some legislators of their immunity from prosecution.

The ruling party's proposed constitutional amendment would pave the way for the trial of several pro-Kurdish legislators on terror-related charges and set the stage for their ouster from parliament.

The amendment was put forward after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, HDP, of being the arm of an outlawed Kurdish rebel movement.

Prior discussions of the amendment, which puts 138 lawmakers at risk of prosecution, have devolved into fistfights. The final vote is expected Friday.

The debate comes amid a surge of violence in the mainly Kurdish southeast of the country where security forces are trying to flush out Kurdish rebels.