Top court gives another 30 days to HDP for defense

ANKARA

Turkey’s top court has given another 30 days to the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) for defense as they face a case for their closure.

The HDP had demanded additional time for submitting its defense and the Constitutional Court agreed to pledge another 30 days to the party.

In June, the Constitutional Court accepted an 831-page indictment which was prepared by Bekir Şahin, the chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, seeking the closure of the HDP and demanding that 451 party members be banned from politics.

Following the HDP’s submission of its defense, Şahin will present his opinion on merits. After the prosecutor’s oral statement and the HDP’s oral defense, a rapporteur will gather all necessary information and documents and prepare a report on the case.

After the report is distributed to the top court judges, Zühtü Arslan, the head of the Constitutional Court, will set a date to discuss the request for the closure of the HDP.

In the 2018 elections, the HDP won 11.7 percent of the national vote or nearly 6 million votes. It has 55 lawmakers in the 600-seat parliament.