HDP given 30 days more for defense over closure case

ANKARA

The Constitutional Court has given 30 days more to the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) to prepare its defense over the ongoing closure case.

At a meeting on September 20, the General Assembly of the Constitutional Court reviewed the HDP’s request for an extension to present its defense after the chief prosecutor delivered new evidence over the party’s links to the PKK terrorist organization.

The court pledged another 30 days to the HDP to submit its defense in line with the new evidence. However, the court rejected the HDP’s demand of the recusal of one the 15 judges of the Constitutional Court.

Chief Prosecutor Bekir Şahin has recently submitted the exposed links of two HDP officials, current lawmaker Semra Güzel and former lawmaker Behçet Yıldırım with the PKK terrorists as fresh evidence for banning the HDP and its more than 500 officials, including lawmakers and local officials.

The Parliament is running a procedure for dropping Güzel’s status as a lawmaker who has been recently arrested while trying to allegedly fleeing Türkiye.

The chief prosecutor and the HDP officials will begin to make their verbal statements following the submission of their written defense to the Constitutional Court.

The 609-page indictment launched by the chief prosecutor earlier this year said the permanent closure of the HDP was a legal obligation for the indivisible integrity of the Turkish state, and peace and security of the nation. It said the party should also be fully deprived of the treasury grants.

The HDP had garnered around six millions vote in the latest parliamentary elections in 2018. Its predecessors were also banned due to their links with the PKK.