HDP requests additional time for defense in closure case
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The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has requested additional time from the Constitutional Court to prepare its defense.
If the top court approves the request filed by the party on August 11, it will have an additional 90-day period to submit its defense. Otherwise, the party will have to submit its defense by September 7.
In the indictment, the HDP is accused of having ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation submitted the indictment demanding the closure of the party on June 7. In addition to the HDP's closure, it demands a political ban on 451 members of the party.
The top court accepted the indictment on June 21.
The 843-page indictment that was sent to the party includes 70 additional files and eight flash disks.
A previous indictment seeking the closure of the HDP was turned down by the Constitutional Court in April.
Since the government terminated what was called the "resolution process to the Kurdish question" in mid-2015, the HDP has faced a massive legal crackdown with hundreds of its members, including senior ones, imprisoned and its mayors removed from office on the grounds of alleged ties to "terrorism."
How the legal process worksAfter the HDP presents its preliminary defense, the Court of Cassation's chief public prosecutor will be asked his opinion as to the accusations. This opinion will also be sent to the HDP. Then, at dates to be specified by the Constitutional Court, prosecutor Bekir Şahin will make a verbal statement and HDP officials will make a verbal defense. Following this process, the rapporteur, who will collect information and documents about the case, will prepare a report on the merits. While this process is ongoing, the Chief Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation and HDP can submit additional evidence or defense. After the report is handed out to the Constitutional Court members, Court President Zühtü Arslan will set a date for the meeting and, on the specified day, the members will start examining the case as to 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. The top court ruling will be submitted to the Court of Cassation Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which filed the case, and to the related political party, namely the HDP, and will be published in the Official Gazette. Those who have been imposed a political ban will not be able to be founders, members, executives or supervisors of any other political party for five years. |
(DŞ/VK)