In 2014, with ISIS on the brink of taking over the city of Kobani, massive and democratic protests erupted worldwide, including in many cities in Turkey. During these protests, 46 civilians, 34 of whom were members and supporters of the HDP, were killed by pro-ISIS groups, with provocation from Turkey’s security forces.
Despite the decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which made it clear that the HDP could not be considered responsible for the violence, the current government persisted in launching a court case against the HDP’s executive members, including co-chairs Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş. The defendants refuted all allegations, but the court proceeded with the trials under clear political influence. Judicial malpractice was evident from the beginning, when the initial judge was found to be a member of a criminal organisation, and was blatant throughout. The court has unjustly sentenced many HDP politicians on baseless allegations.
The unlawful verdicts are as follows:
1) SELAHATTİN DEMİRTAŞ (Co-chair of HDP) 42,5 years imprisonment
2) FİGEN YÜKSEKDAĞ (Co-chair of HDP) 30 years and 3 months imprisonment
3) ALP ALTINÖRS (Member of HDP Executive Board) 22,5 years imprisonment
4) NAZMİ GÜR (Deputy Co-chair for Foreign Affairs and Member of the PACE) 22,5 years imprisonment
5) ZEKİ ÇELİK (Member of HDP Executive Board) 22,5 years imprisonment
6) ZEYNEP KARAMAN (Member of HDP Executive Board) 22,5 years imprisonment
7) PERVİN ODUNCU (Member of HDP Executive Board) 22,5 years imprisonment
8) GÜNAY KUBİLAY (Speaker and member of the executive board of HDP) 20,5 years imprisonment
9) İSMAİL ŞENGÜL (Member of HDP Executive Board) 20,5 years imprisonment
10) DİLEK YAĞLI (Member of HDP Executive Board) 20 years imprisonment
11) BÜLENT PARMAKSIZ (Member of HDP Executive Board) 18 years imprisonment
12) ALİ ÜRKÜT (Member of HDP Executive Board) 17 years imprisonment
13) CİHAN ERDAL (Member of HDP Executive Board) 16 years imprisonment
14) GÜLTAN KIŞANAK (Mayor of Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality) 12 years imprisonment
15) SEBAHAT TUNCEL (Former MP and Executive Member of HDP Women Assembly) 12 years imprisonment
16) ZEYNEP ÖLBECİ (Member of HDP Executive Board) 11,5 years imprisonment
17) AHMET TÜRK (Mayor of Mardin Metropolitan Municipality) 10 years imprisonment
18) EMİNE AYNA (Former MP and Member of HDP Women Assembly) 10 years imprisonment
19) AYLA AKAT ATA (Former MP and Executive Member of HDP Women Assembly) 9 years and 9 months imprisonment
20) AYNUR AŞAN (Member of the HDP Assembly) 9 years imprisonment
21) AYŞE YAĞCI (Member of the HDP Assembly) 9 years imprisonment
22) MERYEM ADIBELLİ (Member of HDP Executive Board) 9 years imprisonment
23) MESUT BAĞCIK (Member of the HDP Assembly) 9 years imprisonment
24) NEZİR ÇAKAN (Member of HDP Executive Board) 9 years imprisonment
The decisions made by the court regarding HDP politicians stand in direct contradiction to the ECHR’s ruling and Turkey’s constitution. These verdicts are illegal for our party and our people. We urgently call on all individuals and organisations that stand for human rights and fundamental democratic values to denounce these unlawful decisions and uphold the ECHR’s verdict.
Ebru Günay & Berdan Öztürk
Co-Speakers of the DEM Party Foreign Affairs Commission
16 May 2024
