08.08.2026 06:20
During the deliberations on the "framework law" proposal in the Turkish Grand National Assembly's Justice Commission, a dispute over the right to speak raised tensions. İYİ Party Çanakkale Deputy Rıdvan Uz reacted to Commission Chairman Cüneyt Yüksel, saying, "You will be fair. You will be just." After Yüksel's remark, "Sit down," Uz moved toward the Presidium, but deputies from both the İYİ Party and the AK Party intervened to stop him.
During the discussions on the "framework law" proposal in the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBNA) Justice Commission, a dispute over taking the floor occurred between İYİ Party Çanakkale Deputy Rıdvan Uz and Commission Chairman Cüneyt Yüksel.
Uz, who reacted to Yüksel for putting the transition to the articles to a vote after the speeches on the entirety of the proposal, said, "You will be fair. You will be just. There are friends who have not spoken. You have to be fair."
After the vote was accepted, as Uz continued his reaction, Yüksel said, "Everyone is talking about their own concerns. You will speak, and you will speak again. No one can silence you."
WALKED TOWARDS THE PRESIDING COUNCIL
In response to Commission Chairman Yüksel's words, "I conducted a closure of debate and held a vote," Uz replied, "We will not sit in our seats." Uz, rising from his seat, walked towards the Presiding Council.
Yüksel, however, shouted at Uz, "Sit down in your place." As the argument escalated, Uz tried to go to Yüksel's side. Deputies from the İYİ Party and the AK Party intervened and blocked Uz.
POYRAZ: YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ALL SPEECHES
Following the argument, İYİ Party Deputy Group Chairman Uğur Poyraz took the floor. Drawing attention to the sensitivity of the proposal being discussed, Poyraz said, "Dear Mr. Chairman... Now, first of all, everyone is aware that we are trying to debate a sensitive bill. We also see that you are doing your best to maintain a humane attitude. Here, the initial proposers spoke for hours."
Yüksel, however, replied to Poyraz, "No one spoke for hours; they spoke for 40 minutes... The one who spoke the most spoke for 40 minutes."
Poyraz stated that deputies were requesting the floor due to their sensitivity on the issue and said, "Here, as the commission chairman, on such a sensitive matter, you are obliged to listen to all speeches and have all speeches recorded in the minutes. You have to decide on this with your identity as a legal expert, as a parliamentarian, and as an academician. Therefore, the vote you just held does not measure up to this commission, nor to your academic identity, nor to your legal identity. I found it unbecoming."
Yüksel also told Poyraz, "Please return to your seat."
YÜKSEL: I CONDUCTED A CLOSURE OF DEBATE AND MOVED TO THE ARTICLES
Making a statement after the argument, Yüksel said he did not interrupt the deputies' speeches and did not impose a time limit on them.
Yüksel said, "I listened to you, I understood you. I want to state this; now look, I did not interrupt anyone. I also did not impose a time limit on anyone. But if it continues like this, I will impose a time limit. To avoid doing that, friends requested a closure of debate, I conducted a closure of debate and moved to the articles. Now, in the articles, I will again give you the floor. You will again speak as you wish. If I do not do this, I will impose a time limit. I mean, we cannot continue like this, friends. You are all parliamentarians; you all know the rules of procedure better than I do."
DISPUTE OVER "SPEAKING TIME" BETWEEN OLGUN AND YÜKSEL
After the tension in the commission subsided, İYİ Party Afyonkarahisar Deputy Hakan Şeref Olgun took the floor. Olgun, recalling the Ombudsman's minutes dated May 31, 2025, said that Yüksel had previously objected to requests regarding the closure of debate and restrictions on the speeches of deputies who were not commission members.
Olgun said, "In these minutes, we had requested the closure of debate. We had requested the restriction of members who are not commission members. But you had said, 'This is the Justice Commission, this is the commission where democracy and freedoms should be.'"
Olgun noted that during the Child Protection Law discussions dated July 16, 2025, deputies spoke until 04:00-05:00 in the morning, and that requests to limit the speeches were not accepted at that time as well.
Also recalling the discussions on the 11th Judicial Package dated December 3, 2025, Olgun said that AK Party Deputy Nurettin Alan had requested a limit on speaking time, but Yüksel did not change his practice.
Olgun said, "Now you will not look this way at all; saying 'in this minutes it must be like this, I am restricting the time, I am imposing a time limit' means denying yourself. For this reason, you should remove the practice."
OLGUN: THIS IS UNBECOMING OF THE JUSTICE COMMISSION
Olgun, who opposed restricting the right to speak of deputies in general debates, said, "When it is said 'people will speak,' it's like this; it's not about speaking anywhere they want, the person wants to speak about the general [issue]. He has no knowledge about the first article or hasn't prepared. I mean, how do you decide this?"
Showing Yüksel the minutes of past meetings, Olgun said, "Look, you are acting unfairly here, this is not acceptable. This is unbecoming of the Justice Commission. With your own minutes, all of these... Let me give them to you too, read them. Tell me something. Say 'I am changing the practice,' and I will accept it."
Yüksel, in response, said, "Mr. Olgun, very... I know those minutes very well."
OLGUN: YOU NEED TO GIVE THE FLOOR TO EVERYONE WHO ASKS
Olgun argued that all deputies requesting the floor during general debates should be given the right to speak.
Saying, "You will give it to anyone who asks about the general [issue]," Olgun said, "But on the general topic... Look, on the general topic, you must give it to everyone who asks. This is injustice. You also say 'a historic day'... I mean, can such a historic day be like this? What kind of historic day?"
Olgun also noted that there is a three-minute limit for speeches on the articles, saying, "Away with such a historic day."
Yüksel, stating that deputies who will speak on the articles will be allocated, said, "Friends, we will allocate the articles. Everyone can request. Then it's fine. But these friends will speak on the general [issue]."
Olgun reacted to Yüksel, saying, "Look, you will tarnish your three-year tenure as Justice Commission Chairman and your good name. Today's commission is not like other commissions; you say today is a historic day, but you are not willing to put up with five people speaking a bit more."
In the continuation of the discussions, Yüksel proposed giving deputies 10 minutes each to speak, saying, "Let me give the floor to friends, 10 minutes each."