Suspending Bundestag Immunity for Two Members - Unleft Detailed
Bundesparlament withdrawal of parliamentary immunity for Gökay Akbulut and Ingo Hahn - German Parliament Removes Immunity from Gökay Akbulut and Ingo Hahn
Hey there! In Germany, the Bundestag, or federal parliament, has taken action against two of its members by suspending their immunity. The decision was unanimous and affected Gökay Akbulut from The Left and AfD parliamentarian Ingo Hahn.
Here's the skinny on what went down:
Gökay Akbulut, Alleged Train Tantrum
The drama surrounding Akbulut started on a train journey from Heidelberg to Stuttgart. He's under investigation for an alleged attempt to cause bodily harm, as he's accused of chucking a bottle at a fellow passenger. This passenger later shared her account on Instagram, claiming she was racially insulted, verbally attacked, and sexually harassed by Akbulut.
Ingo Hahn, Social Media Scuffle
Meanwhile, Hahn has already had his immunity suspended last year, during his tenure as a member of the Bavarian state parliament. He's in hot water for releasing a video on social media that was edited and combined in a way that allegedly violated laws, particularly regarding a speech made by a member of the Free Voters party.
Let's take a deep dive into how the Bundestag handles the suspension of immunity for its members.
Immunity Suspension Process
In Germany, parliamentary immunity protects Bundestag representatives from prosecution related to the words spoken or votes made in the parliament. However, for anything else, including criminal actions outside of parliamentary duties, the immunity can be lifted by the Bundestag. Here's how it unfolds:
- A request is made by a prosecutor or court to the Bundestag for the immunity to be lifted.
- The Council of Elders (Ältestenrat) and the Immunity Committee (Immunitätsausschuss) review the request and may even investigate the matter further.
- The Bundestag votes on the matter. A simple majority is usually enough to lift immunity.
- If immunity is lifted, the member can be investigated or prosecuted.
A Closer Look at the Cases
Akbulut - Criminal Proceedings
If Akbulut is being investigated for a crime unrelated to his parliamentary duties, the process we described would be followed. The request for his immunity suspension would be made, and the Bundestag would vote on the matter. If immunity is lifted, the proceedings would continue.
Hahn - Unlawful Video Release
Similarly, if Hahn's actions regarding the "unlawful video release" violate any laws, the same process would apply. A request would be made, the Bundestag would deliberate, and if immunity is lifted, the investigation would proceed.
More details on the specific allegations and the current status of both cases can be found in the official Bundestag records or recent news reports.
Here are the key takeaways:- Immunity cannot be lifted for statements or votes made in Parliament.- For other alleged offenses, a legal request and Bundestag vote are required.- The process protects parliamentary work while ensuring members are not above the law for unrelated crimes.
- The Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament, is enforcing the suspension of immunity for members Gökay Akbulut and Ingo Hahn due to alleged offenses outside of their parliamentary duties.
- According to the Bundestag's policy and legislation, immunity can be lifted by the Bundestag for criminal actions committed outside of parliamentary responsibilities. The process involves a request, investigation, vote, and potential proceedings if immunity is lifted.
