Ankara court rejects former HDP co-chair Demirtaş's appeal for release despite Constitutional Court's ruling
The Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court has rejected a request for release filed by former HDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş. The Ankara court said that the Constitutional Court’s call for Demirtaş's release in June pertains to a separate investigation against the politician.
Duvar English
An Ankara court has rejected an appeal by jailed former People's Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş for his release despite a recent Constitutional Court ruling which said that Demirtaş's lengthy imprisonment breaches the Constitution as it exceeds the “reasonable duration.”
The Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court said that the Constitutional Court's June 19-dated ruling pertains to a separate investigation and arrest order against the Kurdish politician. It said that authorities have “sound evidence” linking Demirtaş to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), without saying what such evidence consisted of.
A court ruled last September that Demirtaş should be released while his main trial continues. The Constitutional Court ruling concerns the detention for this period.
Prosecutors then launched a new investigation into him and requested his arrest again after the lifting of the previous detention order.
Demirtaş, who is known for his vocal criticism of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), has been in jail since Nov. 4, 2016 while on trial for a string of terrorism-related charges.