Demirtaş: Judges Who Commit Crime Will Be Held Accountable by Judiciary

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Former Co-Chair of the People's Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş has elaborated on the verdict of the court of appeal that has upheld the prison sentence given to him on Twitter.

On November 20, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) pronounced its judgement on Demirtaş and ruled that "all necessary measures shall be adopted to end his pre-trial detention."

Demirtaş, who has been arrested for 2 years in Edirne F-type Prison, has commented on the ruling of the court of appeal, which was announced in the wake of ECtHR judgement, as follows:

"Do it, I don't say 'Don't do it', but don't do it like this overtly, amateurish and shamelessly. I neither recognize the sentence nor the threats from the judiciary which is at the government's command.

"You can only physically hold me and my friends inside. You lose everything else. We are inside for two years; we, as HDP, are getting greater, you are getting smaller and miserable.

"We will continue to resist against fascism and we will prevail. All the judges who commit crimes will be brought to account by the judiciary one day. You can't make us surrender. You can't make us kneel down.

"Our whole people should gather around its party, it should resist everywhere with spirit, belief and determination to push back fascism. I am extending my most cordial greetings to everyone, we will continue our struggle."

CLICK - Prison Sentences of Demirtaş and Önder Upheld

While the ECtHR verdict to release Demirtaş has not come into force, the 56-month prison sentence given to him has been upheld by İstanbul Regional Court of Justice. Demirtaş is now in prison as a convict, not an arrestee.

Former HDP MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder also was sentenced to 42 months in prison in the same case. His sentence will also be executed.

HDP: "People will not forget this move of Erdoğan"

HDP Co-Chairs Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli also made a written statement regarding the case:

"There is only one reason that this verdict was brought forward and given hurriedly: To find an excuse to not apply the verdict of release which the European Court of Human Rights gave on Demirtaş which states 'He should be released immediately.' So, this verdict is not judicial, but totally political."

"(President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan, a few hours after the very clear verdict of ECtHR, said, "The verdict doesn't bind us, we do our counter move and get it done. And this is the counter move."

"This scandal which is occurring in front of the eyes of the whole world is a clear proof that the President is using the judiciary as a pawn. He is giving orders to the judiciary in front of the cameras, not clandestinely anymore. Judiciary, on the other hand, has proved that it is a tool of the executive."

"Both the judiciary members who gave this verdict and Erdoğan, who gave orders to them, should know this: Our people won't forget this verdict. Our people knows that the reason of this verdict is AKP (Justice and Development Party) Chair Tayyip Erdoğan.

"Our people knows that this verdict roots in Erdoğan's fear of Demirtaş. Our people will bring this verdict to account sooner or later." (AS/VK)