16 Years and 8 Months Jail Term for HDP MP Baluken

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Summary judgement of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MP İdris Baluken was held at Diyarbakır 8th Heavy Penal Court. The MP has been sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison.

Arrested in Bingöl province on November 4, 2016, Baluken was charged with “Disrupting unity of the state and integrity of the country”, “Being a member of a terrorist organization” and “Propagandizing for a terrorist organization”.

HDP Co-Chair: Slaughter of law

Making a statement following the verdict, HDP Co-Chair Serpil Kemalbay said:

“If we have to say what İdris Baluken did to deserve this penalty; he served as HDP group deputy chair, he engaged in politics as one of the most valuable MPs, he represented will of 6 million people in the parliament.

“An MP who only but only carried out political activities was penalized through groundless decisions that have nothing to do with universal principles. This penalty is a political slaughter to the core. This is a decision of slaughter of law”.

Who is İdris Baluken?

Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) 26th Term Diyarbakır MP Baluken was born in Bingöl on July 2, 1976. He graduated from Faculty of Medicine, Ankara University. He specialised in pulmonary diseases and Tuberculosis in the Pulmonary Research and Education hospital in Heybeliada, İstanbul. He worked in a dispensary, a state hospital in Bingöl and at the Diyarbakır pulmonary diseases hospital as a surgeon.

He has been involved in the administration of the Turkish Thoracic Society, the Turkish Medical Association and the Health and Social Service Workers Union Diyarbakır branch.

He serves as a parliamentary group leader of the HDP since 2014. He is married with two children. (PT/TK)