Ministry’s Note Calling Demirtaş ‘Militant’ on Parliamentary Agenda

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Urfa MP Osman Baydemir has submitted a parliamentary inquiry concerning a note sent by the Ministry of Justice to the court that try HDP’s imprisoned Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş.

Kayseri 12th Criminal Court of First Instance had sent a notice to the Ministry of Justice General Directorate or Prison and Detention Houses for Demirtaş to be brought to hearing to be held on November 14. The “confidential” response date October 13, 2017 sent by the institution defined Demirtaş as “…militant charged with being a member of an illegal armed organization…”

Baydemir added that the same notice was sent to all courts that have Demirtaş’s file.

Baydemir posed the following questions:

On what legal basis did the Ministry of Justice instruct the court even though Kayseri 12th Criminal Court of First Instance ruled HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş be brought to courtroom?

Has the Ministry of Justice rendered verdict on behalf of court by calling Demirtaş “militant”?

Doesn’t the Ministry of Justice’s notice contravene with the Constitution Article No.138?

Next hearing is in December

Demirtaş has been kept in Edirne Prison since November 4, 2016. There are nine HDP MPs, including Nursel Aydoğan and Figen Yüksekdağ who was relieved of MP and HDP duties behind bars.

Demirtaş will appear before judge at Ankara 19th Heavy Penal court on December 7, 2017. (AS/TK)