Selahattin Demirtas

The Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court has ruled by a majority vote that the arrest of former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş shall continue.

Imprisoned former Co-Chair of the HDP, Selahattin Demirtaş, has reflected on the recent events in the country in a series of tweets.

HDP executives have criticized the prison sentences given to the party's former Co-Chair Demirtaş and former MP Önder: “What happened shows that the judiciary is working in a chain of command relationship with the government.”

Former HDP MP Sırrı Süreyya Önder has submitted himself to prison in Kocaeli after the 42-month sentence, which was given to him because of a speech that he made on Newroz Day in 2013, has been upheld by the court of appeal.

HDP former Co-Chair Demirtaş, whose prison sentence has been upheld by the court of appeal has said, “I neither recognize the sentence nor the threats from the judiciary which is at the government’s command.”

In the wake of the judgement of the ECtHR, which ruled that “all necessary measures shall be adopted to end the pre-trial detention of Selahattin Demirtaş”, the prison sentence of 4 years and 8 months given to him in another lawsuit has been upheld.

HDP Co-Chair Pervin Buldan has announced that they will go on a two-day hunger strike with 10 MPs in solidarity with arrested HDP MP Leyla Güven, who has been on a hunger strike with the demand that “Isolation in İmralı be ended.”

The court has rejected the request for release of Demirtaş on the ground that the ruling of ECtHR “is not definitive”; but, it will also ask the Ministry of Justice whether the ruling of the court is definitive. Attorney Demir has said, “The verdict of release is definitive.”

The official translation of the ECtHR ruling on Selahattin Demirtaş, which has been translated by the Ministry of Justice into Turkish, has been submitted to the Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court. His attorneys have stated that they expect a verdict of release.

Submitting a parliamentary inquiry regarding the ECtHR ruling on Demirtaş, the HDP has said, “The judgement of the ECtHR sets a precedent for all arrested journalists and elected politicians and the ones imprisoned as part of freedom of thought and expression.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has stated that they will appeal to the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR regarding its judgement on Selahattin Demirtaş. Çavuşoğlu has said, “There are several EU countries that do not implement the ECtHR rulings.”

HDP’s imprisoned former Co-Chair Demirtaş has said, “The judgement of ECtHR has shown how grave the situation in Turkey is. But, is the government trying to understand it? No. Because it does not want to leave aside such a sharp sword as judiciary.”

Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been tried in Urfa for “insulting the commissioned officer” and attended the hearing via Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBİS), has stated that all lawsuits against him are political and refused to make defense via SEGBİS.

Federica Mogherini and Johannes Hahn, who are in Turkey to attend the Political Dialogue Meeting, have stated that Demirtaş should be released by referring to the ruling of the ECtHR and added that they want Turkey to be a democratic country.

Regarding ECtHR’s ruling on Demirtaş, President Erdoğan has said, “Wherever you go in Europe, supporters of the terrorist organization have a free hand while our citizens loving their country and nation are pestered. Where are you, ECtHR? Do you see it?”

President Erdoğan, who has said that the judgement of the ECtHR regarding arrested politician Demirtaş is not binding for Turkey, appealed to the court three times before, demanding that the obstacles preventing him from engaging in politics be removed.

Director for Communications at the Council of Europe Daniel Holtgen has stated, “Under the Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights, all member states are bound by the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.”

The attorneys of arrested politician Selahattin Demirtaş have submitted an application for his release in the wake of the judgement pronounced by the ECtHR, which has ruled that all necessary measures shall be taken to end his pre-trial detention.

Speaking about the ECtHR’s judgement on Demirtaş, President Erdoğan has said, “Judgements of ECtHR are no concern of ours.” The court has ruled that if Turkey does not abide by its judgement, it will breach the Convention.

The European Court of Human Rights has pronounced its judgment regarding HDP’s former imprisoned Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş’s application. The court has ruled that all necessary measures shall be adopted to put an end to his pre-trial detention.