Demirtaş: Government Does Not Want to Leave Aside Such Sharp Sword as Judiciary

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The judgement of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), which ruled that the pre-trial detention of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş shall be ended, has not been put into effect.

CLICK - ECtHR: Selahattin Demirtaş Should Be Released

Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been behind bars in the Edirne Type F Prison since November 4, 2016, has made a statement regarding the judgement of the ECtHR. The statement of Selahattin Demirtaş was posted on his official Twitter account yesterday (November 26).

"When trust in justice collapses..."

Stating that "all services provided by the state are important", Demirtaş emphasized that "the service of judiciary is very unique and special among others" and added, "If the judiciary cannot fulfill its duty, there emerges, first, chaos, then, serious government cruelties. Because judiciary controls the government in the name of all of us and protects us."

Asking the question, "But, what if the judiciary cannot control the government, but, on the contrary, the government acquires the power to control the judiciary?", Demirtaş answered, "There is no need to beat around the bush, its name would be fascism. The society's trust in justice would collapse. There would erupt fear and panic. No one would have security."

"No one will remain uncut if you keep silent"

Referring to the judgement of the ECtHR as an "indication of how grave the recent situation in Turkey is", Demirtaş also stated:

"But, has the government learnt a lesson from it or is it trying to understand it? No. On the contrary, it can say that 'it is not binding for us.' Because it does not want to leave aside such a sharp sword as judiciary.

"Yes. But, do you think that the sharp sword in the hands of government wants to cut only me? Millions of you have been cut and be sure that none of you will remain uncut if you keep silent.

"Use your democratic rights to the full"

"For that reason, raise objection. Do not surrender. Do not be afraid, use all of your democratic rights to the full. When the ballot box comes before you, do not ever let the fascism pass."

Concluding his remarks by saying that "he does not have any intention to be a candidate in local elections for the Metropolitan Mayorship of Diyarbakır", Demirtaş also expressed solidarity with Leyla Güven, who has still been behind bars despite being elected as MP and gone on a hunger strike:

"And, the most important of all, an MP has been on a hunger strike in Diyarbakır Prison for 19 days. Her demand is our demand. Give a voice to Leyla Güven." (AS/SD)