Parliament rejects 162 motions about ECtHR judgment for Demirtaş's release

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The Speaker's Office of the parliament has returned 162 motions about the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling for the release of Selahattin Demirtaş, a former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

The motions were submitted by 54 HDP deputies to the ministers of justice and foreign affairs and the vice-president after Turkey's failure to implement the decision since December.

CLICK - Court refuses to release Demirtaş despite ECtHR ruling

The Speaker's Office concluded that the question, "Doesn't the Republic of Turkey have to comply with the ECtHR decision" violated the parliament's internal regulation and did not process the motions, the HDP said in a statement today (February 4).

The Speaker's Office said the only purpose for the motions was "providing consultation" and it would process the motions if the question was written in accordance with the regulation.

The ECtHR Grand Chamber ordered the immediate release of Demirtaş on December 22. 

Senior government officials, including the president and the minister of interior, dismissed the decision, saying that it was "not binding."

Turkey previously avoided another ECtHR ruling in 2018 for Demirtaş's release as a court gave a prison sentence to him shortly after the European court verdict.

Demirtaş has been behind bars on "terrorism" charges since November 2016. (AS/VK)