European Socialists Call for Release of Demirtaş

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The Party of European Socialists (PES) has called for the release of Selahattin Demirtaş, a former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), an associate member of the PES, after a court ruled for a release on Monday (September 2).

Demirtaş, who has been behind bars since November 2016, continues to stay in prison as he was convicted in another case in December 2018.

"By keeping him in prison, Turkey is violating Selahattin's rights as well as the political rights of the Turkish people. Like we previously said, these charges are politically motivated and their only purpose is to remove the democratic opposition. We demand that Demirtas be freed immediately," said Sergei Stanishev, president of the PES.

"Selahattin is a fighter for human rights and democratic freedoms, for not only the Kurdish minority but for all Turkish citizens. His only crime has been to work for a democratic, progressive Turkey. He has been kept in prison for almost three years for that. Turkey is in violation of the Human Rights Convention," he added.

The PES said in a press release that it supports its member parties in Turkey (HDP and CHP) will continue to stand by them "when their rights, and the rights of their members, are attacked". (DB/VK)