Application to ECtHR for HDP’s Demirtaş

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An application will be filed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (HDP) presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş, who is still kept in Edirne Type F Prison.

Demirtaş’s lawyer Mahsuni Karaman made the following statement on Twitter:

“An application will be submitted to the ECtHR tomorrow (June 27) on the ground that Mr. Demirtaş’s ‘right to free election’ was violated”.

In its statement, Karaman underlined that Demirtaş entered elections under imprisonment conditions, all of his demands were rejected and his individual application to the Constitutional Court wasn’t examined during the election process”.

What happened?

An application was filed to the Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court for the release of Selahattin Demirtaş from prison on May 15, 2018. The application was rejected on May 21.

The request for Demirtaş's release was then taken to the upper court, the Ankara 20th Heavy Penal Court, which also rejected Demirtaş's demand for release on May 24.

The attorneys of Selahattin Demirtaş applied to the Constitutional Court as per the Article No. 68 of the Internal Regulation so that the case of Demirtaş will be handled with priority.

On June 13, state-run Anadolu Agency reported that the Constitutional Court rejected Demirtaş’s request for release. (EKN/TK)