Istanbul, 16 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) - A fistfight between ruling and opposition party lawmakers broke at the Turkish parliament on Friday during a session to discuss a jailed politician, local media reported.

Footage shared by Cumhuriyet daily on X showed ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lawmaker Alpay Ozalan slapping opposition Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) lawmaker Ahmet Sik as the latter gave a speech.

Sik is then seen tumbling down the floor from the platform.

A fiery fistfight ensued in the following seconds as more lawmakers target Sik, punching him several times.

At least two more opposition lawmakers who tried to break up the fight were injured, broadcaster Haberturk reported. Blood was seen on the parliament floor, Haberturk added, sharing images of the fight.

One member was injured, main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ozgur Ozel told reporters in parliament, slamming the incident as "extremely shameful."

Pro-Kurdish DEM Party co-chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit's eyebrow was split open, the party said on X, denouncing the "attack" by AKP lawmakers as "vandalism."

The parliament was holding an extraordinary session to discuss the the legal situation of Can Atalay, who was stripped of his parliamentary seat in January.

Atalay, elected to parliament in May from the TİP, has been imprisoned since mid-2022 for allegedly aiding an attempt to overthrow the government with the 2013 Gezi Park protests.

An outspoken critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Atalay is being held in a high-security Istanbul prison despite a Constitutional Court ruling demanding his release due to his parliamentary immunity.

Photo: EPA