ANKARA Two Turkish government MPs appeared in court on Friday for questioning over the death of an opposition deputy following a fistfight in Parliament this week.

State-run Anatolian News Agency said Prosecutor Bekir Selcuk had taken testimony from the two MPs and was preparing a case based on charges of involuntary killing.

Fevzi Sihanlioglu, 56, a deputy of the True Path Party (DYP), died of a heart attack in hospital on Tuesday night, a little over an hour after being struck in the fighting.

Initial autopsy results showed Sihanlioglu had taken blows to the head but it was unclear if they were the cause of death.

The fighting broke out during a rowdy late-night debate and involved deputies of Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's Democratic Left Party (DSP) and his right-wing coalition partners, the Nationalist Action Party (MHP) as well as the opposition.

Anatolian said nationalist MPs Cahit Tekelioglu and Mehmet Kundakci had appeared before the Ankara court on Friday.

No formal charges have yet been brought but the two could potentially face up to five years in jail.

Turkish deputies have a limited immunity from prosecution but it does not cover serious crimes. Tuesday's fighting erupted during an emotional debate on government proposals to change lawmaking procedures.

(Reuter)