For immediate release
20 November 2018
Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has called called for the immediate release of People’s Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş and other HDP representatives from Turkish prisons.
The South Down MP was commenting after the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey has violated the European Convention on Human Rights in its imprisonment of Selahattin Demirtaş.
The South Down MP said:
“Today’s ruling at the European Court of Human Rights has exposed the disgraceful levels of repression and persecution carried out by the Erdogan regime in Turkey.
“The rights of Turkish people, and the integrity of its institutions and democratic right to a free vote have been undermined for some time.
“The Turkish authorities must be held accountable for the arbitrary arrest and relentless persecution of pro-Kurdish democratically elected MPs.
“This ruling cannot be ignored. Selahattin Demirtaş should be released and politically motivated charges against HDP co-chairs, and those designed to silence and intimidate voices critical of the Erdogan regime, must be dropped immediately.” CRÍOCH/ENDS
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