HDP’s Konca Relieved of MP Duties

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Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Women’s Assembly Spokesperson and Siirt MP Besime Konca has been relieved of her MP duties at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) due to her finalized sentence of two and a half years.

Gaziantep Regional Court of Law had upheld the sentence two and a half years in prison imposed on Konca on charge of “propagandizing for a terror organization”.

After being arrested on December 13, 2016 with HDP Group Deputy Chair Çağlar Demirel, was released on probation on May 3, 2017.

Konca was sent to prison on May 29, 2017 after Batman 3rd Heavy Penal Court issued a detention warrant for Konca on May 9, 2017.

Konca was released on July 28.

HDP MPs Figen Yüksekdağ, Nursel Aydoğan, Faysal Sarıyıldız and Tuğba Hezer Öztürk have been relieved of their MP duties so far. Thus, the number of HDP MPs decreased from 59 to 55.

Nine HDP figures elected MP in November 1, 2015 elections are behind bars: Selahattin Demirtaş, Figen Yüksekdağ, İdris Baluken, Selma Irmak, Gülser Yıldırım, Ferhat Encü, Abdullah Zeydan, Çağlar Demirel, Burcu Çelik.

About Besime Konca

Konca was born in Maraş in 1970. She was in prison between 1993-2004 over political crimes.

She was arrested again as part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) in 2009 and was released in 2014.

She worked at Free Women’s Congress Association for some time.

She was elected HDP Şırnak MP in November 1, 2015 elections after having served as a member at the Democratic Society Congress (DTP) Central Executive Board. (EKN/TK)