Following intense debates for the last two days, the Turkish Parliament has approved a law which enables to speak mother tongue at courts. People on trial will be allowed to request a translator to defend themselves in their mother tongue on conditions of meeting the expenses for translation services.

Debates on the law escalated in the Parliament when Republican People’s Party (CHP) İzmir deputy Birgül Ayman Güler said two days ago that "The Turkish nation cannot be equal with the Kurdish nation. You cannot palm Kurdish nationalism off on me as siding with independence”, leading to reactions from many members of the Parliament, including some from the CHP. Güler's statement caused further debates on the nationalism spirit within the CHP whose Adıyaman deputy Salih Fırat submitted his resignation from the party yesterday in response to Güler's statements.

The arrangement is part of a 13-article amendment proposal to the Criminal Procedure Code (CMK) and to the Law on Execution of Penalties and Security Precautions.