A Turkish Member of Parliament on Thursday smashed his mobile phone with a hammer while speaking in parliament, the BBC reported.

Burak Erbay, who is a member of the opposition Republican People's Party, was protesting against a proposed government-backed bill which aims to combat online "disinformation".

The legislation, which was ultimately approved, would require social media networks and internet sites to release details of users suspected of "propagating misleading information", and could result in the accused being jailed for up three years in prison.

Critics say that the bill infringes press freedoms and will lead to widespread censorship.

The Turkish parliament has seen some strange incidents in the past. Last December, a brawl broke out at the Turkish parliament as lawmakers debated budgets and policy.

The fisticuffs broke out during an intense budget debate between Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and an opposition lawmaker, and escalated into a fight in which dozens of members were involved, pushing and pulling at each other in the chamber.

In 2017, a brawl erupted at the Turkish parliament as lawmakers debated constitutional amendments that would expand presidential powers.

The fight broke out shortly after opposition lawmaker Özgür Özel told ruling party lawmakers, "You are trying to destroy yourselves when the TV is off and nobody sees. We won't let it happen.”

Shortly after Özel’s comments, fellow members of the main opposition Republican People's Party encircled the speaker's rostrum with arms joined in protest. The fight broke out soon afterward.

One senior lawmaker with AKP suffered a broken nose during the brawl.