Trial begins for imprisoned Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A three-day trial for the imprisoned Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas began on Tuesday.

Demirtas, who is the former co-leader of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), was taken to the 19th High Criminal Court in Ankara, where he faces different charges, local Turkish media reported.

Prosecutors have asked for up to 142 years for him in different probes, including one involving accusations he insulted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The trial will take place from Jan. 7 to 9, 2020.

Turkish police arrested Demirtas along with 10 other MPs in simultaneous night raids across several provinces on Nov. 4, 2016, with charges of terrorism and separatism based on various public speeches they had delivered.

The Turkish government accuses the HDP of having close ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), an allegation it has used to justify its crackdown on Kurdish politicians. The HDP denies links to the PKK.

In September 2019, the 19th Assize Court of Ankara “ruled unanimously” for the release of the former HDP co-chair, the party said on its official Twitter page at the time.

Read More: Turkish court rules for release of Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas

“Demirtas should be released immediately,” it added, noting the politician had been “unlawfully imprisoned.”