Ankara court rules continuation of Demirtaş’s imprisonment

ANKARA

An Ankara court has ruled on continuation of arrest of Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) former co leader Selahattin Demirtaş, the presidential candidate for the July 24 election who has been in prison over terror charges over 18 months.

The Ankara 19th heavy criminal court had given an interim decision for continuation of Demirtaş’s imprisonment in the case where he has been on trial for being a member of a terrorist organization on July 18.

The case is adjourned to Aug. 28-29, Demirtaş’s lawyer Ramazan Demir stated.

On the fourth hearing of the case in the absence of Demirtaş, his lawyers demanded his release.

The prosecutor demanded extra time for the expert report on some voice records stating that some interim rulings were not met, also demanding the continuation of Demirtaş’s imprisonment.

The court ruled to adjourn the case to Aug. 28-29, decided on continuation of imprisonment. 

Former HDP co leader and HDP’s presidential candidate Demirtaş has been in Edirne prison since November 2016 where he was arrested over terror charges.

There are more than 30 cases filed against Demirtaş mostly for the crime of insult to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan or making propaganda of terrorist organization for his public speeches.

The Ankara case is the case where Demirtaş is in prison for over the allegations of being a member of terrorist organization.