Arrested HDP deputy released after months

ŞIRNAK

Turkey’s opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Leyla Birlik, who was arrested earlier in the southeastern  province of Şırnak was released on Jan. 4, according to judicial sources.

Şırnak Deputy Birlik, accused of being a member of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and spreading terror propaganda, was released after testifying to the Şırnak chief public prosecutor, said the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media.

Birlik was arrested and then remanded in custody on Nov. 4., 2016. After parliament lifted the HDP deputies’ legal immunity

A total of 13 HDP lawmakers were arrested in November and 10 of them, including HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, remain in custody.

The government has accused the HDP lawmakers of having links to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by  Turkey, the U.S., and the EU.