Turkish parliament strips two pro-Kurdish lawmakers of status

Turkey's parliament said it had stripped two lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish opposition HDP of their parliamentary status on Thursday, further reducing the party's strength in the assembly two months ahead of elections. The move brought the number of seats held by the Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP), the second-largest opposition party in the assembly, down to 48. The latest move by the parliament came after a court found lawmakers Osman Baydemir, the HDP's former spokesman, guilty of insulting police and Selma Irmak was convicted of membership of a terrorist organization.