Constitutional Court rapporteur demands HDP indictment be accepted

* Photo: HDP

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Assigned with examining the second indictment seeking the closure of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), the rapporteur has demanded that the indictment issued by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation be accepted by the Constitutional Court.

Tthe rapporteur has examined the indictment and requested that the top court accept it. As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the rapporteur has indicated that the related procedural deficiencies cited as the reason for returning the first indictment have been eliminated. The report prepared by the rapporteur has been handed out to the court members.

NOTE: As the Constitutional Court had rejected the first indictment in line with the rapporteur's request, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation sent the second indictment against the HDP to the Constitutional Court on June 7, 2021.

The Constitutional Court will reportedly make the first examination of the second indictment against the HDP on June 21 at 10 a.m.

During the first examination, the General Assembly of the Constitutional Court will also review the request for political ban and for a cautionary judgement on the party's bank account.

451 HDP politicians face political ban

Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation Bekir Şahin said the indictment seeking the HDP's closure demands a political ban for 451 HDP politicians and a cautionary judgement on the party's bank account.

"We have prepared the HDP indictment and referred it to the Constitutional Court. The following process is under the authority of the Constitutional Court. There is a 15-day examination period," said Şahin.

How will the process proceed?

The Constitutional Court will make the first examination. The court board will decide whether the indictment lodged by Chief Public Prosecutor of the Court of Cassation Bekir Şahin is accepted or not.

If the indictment is accepted, it will be sent to the HDP for preliminary defense. The party will be obligated to submit its preliminary defense within the time period specified by the top court. But the party can make an application to extend this period. The Court will conclude this application.

Following this process, the rapporteur, who will collect information and documents about the case, will prepare a report on the merits.

A two-thirds majority, or votes of the 10 of 15 Constitutional Court members, are needed to close the party because of the reasons cited in article 69 of the Constitution or impose other sanctions on the party such as partially or completely depriving it of public aid. (RT/SD)