Continued detention of Kurdish politician to be reevaluated by ECHR

On September 18, 2019, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is set to hear the
appeals of both Selahattin Demirtas, former co-chair of the opposition Peoples’ Democratic
Party (HDP), and Turkey, concerning the ongoing detention of Demirtas despite the previous
“immediate release” ruling of the ECHR which Turkey has not yet implemented.

The ECHR ordered Demirtas’ “immediate release” in its November 20, 2018 ruling. Turkey
was urged to process Demirtas’ legal case swiftly, claiming that his pre-trial detention had
gone on for longer than could be justified. The court also demanded that Turkey pay €10,000 in non-pecuniary and €15,000 in pecuniary damages.

The Kurdish politician’s lawyers applied for his immediate release, however, the Turkish
court unanimously rejected the appeal for release, saying the ECHR’s decision had not been
finalized. According to Demirtas’ lawyers, the “immediate release” ruling of the ECHR did not need to be finalized for it to be implemented.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed the ruling on Demirtas’ release, saying it
amounted to support for terrorism.

Demirtas’ lawyers requested the Grand Chamber Panel to reevaluate the adverse provisions
of the last ruling and to place a final judgment on Turkey, which is restraining Demirtas’
release.

On March 19, 2018, the Grand Chamber Panel stated that they accepted the requests of the Turkish government and Demirtas for the case to be referred to them. The Grand Chamber will reevaluate its November 20 ruling for Demirtas’ immediate release.

Demirtas was arrested, together with twelve other HDP lawmakers, on terrorism charges in
November 2016. He remains in custody in the Edirne Type F Prison pending trial.

AKP sees HDP as no different from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is
classified as a terrorist organization by Ankara.

Case between Ankara and Demirtas drags on as ECHR refers it to its Grand Chamber at request of both parties

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from IPA NEWS https://ipa.news/2019/03/31/continued-detention-of-kurdish-politician-to-be-reevaluated-by-echr/