HDP should be permanently banned, says chief prosecutor

ANKARA

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) is the political wing of the PKK terror organization and it is well known by the entire country, the chief prosecutor has claimed, reiterating his demand from the top court for the permanent prohibition of the HDP.

Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor Bekir Şahin orally defended his indictment that seeks the closure of the HDP before judges of the Constitutional Court on Jan. 10.

Speaking to reporters following the hearing, Şahin informed that he repeated all the views he expressed in the indictment to the judges of the top court.

On a question of whether the top court would give its verdict before the elections to be held in Spring 2023, he said: “It’s up to the high court. We have concluded our job as of today. We have introduced all our evidence. From our perspective, the process is over and the rest is up to the court.”

Following Şahin’s defense, the HDP is expected to give its oral defense in 30 days although it has the right to ask for more time to get prepared.

Şahin said he informed the judges that the HDP has become the focal point of acts targeting the unity of the state and the people, stressing: “The whole nation knows the link between the terror organization and the defendant party. All 85 million people acknowledge that the defendant party is not independent of the PKK and is under the control of this terrorist organization.”

The HDP never condemned the PKK’s terror acts and sees it as the “armed people movement,” Şahin maintained, noting the HDP’s provincial branches have long been serving for the recruitment of terrorists for the PKK.

Şahin’s statement follows days after the top court temporarily froze the bank accounts of the HDP in order to prevent it from benefiting from the annual Treasury aid. The HDP will appeal within 30 days for the removal of this blockage.

The closure case will be finalized after the report of the rapporteur is submitted to the top court. The closure of a political party requires the votes of at least 10 out of 15 judges.