The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has recently rejected Turkey’s appeal against the ruling to release Selahattin Demirtaş. In its judgment on July 8, the ECtHR ruled that the continued pre-trial detention in the so-called Kobane trial was politically motivated and violated the European Convention on Human Rights. The court accordingly demanded that the former co-chair of the HDP be released immediately.
Demirtaş was imprisoned in connection with the Kobane protests in October 2014. Dozens of people were killed in the nationwide unrest that broke out at the time against the Turkish government’s support for the terrorist militia “Islamic State” (ISIS). In a subsequent trial, Demirtaş was sentenced to a total of 42 years in prison. He has been held in the high-security prison in Edirne since 2016.
After the decision was announced, the DEM Party, the successor of the HDP, demanded the immediate release of Demirtaş and other imprisoned party members, including Figen Yüksekdağ. In a statement, the party executive said: “Taking into account all previous ECtHR rulings and, in particular, the now final decision, our friends must be released without further delay.”
On the other hand, lawyers filed a legal appeal for the immediate release of Demirtaş and other politicians, while the MHP (Nationalist Movement Party) leader, Devlet Bahçeli, partner of the AKP government, hinted that Demirtaş could be released soon.
Simultaneous press statements in front of three prisons
DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları and Istanbul MP Cengiz Çiçek visited Selahattin Demirtaş and Selçuk Mızraklı at Edirne Prison on Wednesday and made a statement in front of the prison after the meeting.
On the other hand, HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress) Co-Spokesperson and MP Meral Danış Beştaş visited Figen Yüksekdağ in Kandıra Prison in Kocaeli, while Group Deputy Chair Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit and other deputies made a press statement in front of Sincan Prison in Ankara, demanding the release of all the politicians imprisoned in the Kobanê Trial.
Kobani Trial is a dark stain on Turkey’s history
Tülay Hatimoğulları called the Kobani Trial “a dark stain on Turkey’s history, both legally and politically” and stressed that HDP politicians have been unjustly and unlawfully imprisoned for nearly a decade.
Hatimoğulları stated that they are now expecting Turkey, as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights, to implement the final ECtHR ruling, noting that the lawyers of Demirtaş and other politicians took the necessary steps to secure their release.
The DEM Party Co-Chair condemned the Kobanî Trial and the coup of November 4, when twelve members of parliament from the HDP, including party leaders Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, were arrested in 2016, and when the municipalities of Mardin, Batman, and Halfeti were usurped and the democratically elected mayors were replaced by state-appointed trustees in 2024. She said that the November 4 Coup was directed against democratic politics and the right to vote and be elected.
Democratic politics must not be silenced
“With Mr. Abdullah Öcalan’s Call for Peace and a Democratic Society on February 27, Turkey is now in an entirely new process. At a time when weapons will be silenced and replaced by democratic politics, it is urgent, essential, and vital that the ECtHR decision be implemented as soon as possible. It will provide confidence to society. The development of this process will provide extremely important confidence for the socialization of peace. Democratic politics must not be silenced in this country. We see the November 4 coup as a means of silencing democratic politics. With the release of our friends and the abandonment of this coup and conspiracy, important steps will be taken. This will pave the way for both the peace process and democratic politics in Turkey,” she stressed.
Judiciary used as a tool of politics
Hatimoğulları stressed that the judiciary in Turkey has been used as a tool of politics for a long time now and targeted the opposition most harshly. “We call out to the judiciary: Stop being a tool of politics,” she added.
Hatimoğulları stressed that: “Politics cannot be put in handcuffs. Democratic politics grows and develops on a free and democratic foundation, contributing to the resolution of all social issues. Once politicians are free, alongside their people, their voters, their citizens, then our belief that a true democratic political ground is beginning to form will grow. For this reason, we call out once again: Yüksekdağ, Demirtaş, and all our friends who are currently detained in the Kobanî Conspiracy Trial must be released immediately.”
Message from Demirtaş
The DEM Party Co-Chair shared a message sent by Selahattin Demirtaş, who stated the following: “I send my greetings and love to all our valuable people and members of the press. We hope, expect, and wish that the Parliamentary Commission will take a courageous decision and meet with Mr. Abdullah Öcalan as soon as possible as the 50-year conflict is set to end, deeply and permanently. For 50 years, security policies have been prioritized in this matter, and as a result, this country has lost tens of thousands of its young people. Now is the time to try what has not been tried until now. If necessary, members of parliament must take political risks and go to Imrali to open a new page for peace.”