Constitutional Court says rights of other three jailed Kurdish MPs also violated

ANKARA

The Constitutional Court had also played a key role in CHP lawmaker Mustafa Balbay's release last month. DAILY NEWS photo

Turkey’s Constitutional Court ruled in favor of the complaints filed by three jailed Kurdish lawmakers Jan. 3, on the grounds that their lengthy detention as part of the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) trial was excessive in duration.

The decision comes only hours after two Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) lawmakers also jailed as part of the same trial, İbrahim Ayhan and Gülser Yıldırım, were freed upon a similar decision of the top court a day earlier. 

The fresh ruling will likely pave the way for the release of BDP deputies Ayhan, Yıldırım, Selma Irmak and Faysal Sarıyıldız, as well as BDP-supported independent deputy Kemal Aktaş.

All five lawmakers filed individual complaints to Turkey’s top court for their release after a local court refused to grant their freedom two weeks ago.

Their demands for release were rejected even though Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Mustafa Balbay was freed in similar circumstances last month. Balbay was convicted in the Ergenekon coup case trial, but an appeal process for the case is ongoing.