HDP’s Bilgen Released on Probation

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After being detained yesterday (January 29) and sent to court for arrest, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Spokesperson Ayhan Bilgen was released on probation later that day.

Bilgen: Attempt being made to disrupt referendum activities

Following the release, Bilgen said attempts are being made by the pro-presidential system camp to disrupt activities around the upcoming referendum vote.

Bilgen sees  the lifting of parliamentary immunity as part of the same strategy:

“This has been done to prevent our activities. Perhaps they already started preparations for the presidential system”.

Bilgen announced his detention on Twitter

In an announcement on his personal Twitter account, Bilgen wrote, “I’ve been just detained at Esenboğa [Airport], on my way to İstanbul. I am reportedly to be taken to Diyarbakır”.

Probation for MPs Kaya, Danış-Beştaş and Tan

HDP MPs Hüda Kaya, Meral Danış Beştaş and Altan Tan, who were also taken into custody over the past week, have  also been released on probation.

11 of 59 HDP MPs arrested

HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, Şırnak MPs Ferhat Encü, Leyla Birlik, Hakkari MPs Selma Irmak, Abdullah Zeydan, Diyarbakır MPs İdris Baluken, Nursel Aydoğan, Ziya Pir, İmam Taşçıer, Ankara MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Mardin MP Gülser Yıldırım were taken into custody on November 4. Yüksekdağ, Demirtaş, Baluken, Birlik, Irmak, Aydoğan, Yıldırım, Zeydan and Encü were arrested on the same day.

Pir, Taşçıer and Önder were later released on probation.

HDP Hakkari MP Akdoğan was arrested on November 7.

HDP Group Deputy Chair Çağlar Demirel and HDP Siirt MP Besime Konca were arrested on December 13, which increased the number of arrested HDP MPs to 12.

HDP İstanbul MP Filiz Kerestecioğlu and HDP Muş MP Ahmet Yıldırım were replaced for the arrested group deputy chairs.

Şırnak MP Leyla Birlik was released on January 4. 

With Birlik’s release, 11 HDP MPs remain  behind bars. (EKN/TK)