Facing closure, HDP submits plea to Constitutional Court

Photo: HDP

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The Law and Human Rights Commission of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and a team of lawyers named "We are defending HDP" yesterday (April 19) submitted the party's defense as to the accusations to the Constitutional Court.

Ümit Dede, a deputy co-chair of the party responsible for the commission, and lawyer Maviş Aydın, spoke to reporters about the closure case against the party.

Dede recalled that the party had submitted its preliminary defense on November 21 and now, they submitted their plea against the opinion as to the accusations of the chief public prosecutor's office.

The indictment seeking the closure of the party was a "political document," Dede said, adding, "As lawyers, we examined the indictment line by line and saw that this assessment was a correct one not only as a political assessment but also as a legal assessment."

The Constitutional Court in June 2021 accepted an indictment seeking the closure of the party because of its alleged ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), after rejecting a previous indictment in April.

The Constitutional Court had rejected the first indictment because of non-compliance with the Criminal Procedure Code and it was against articles 68 and 69 of the Constitution about political parties.

The second indictment was no different from the first one, according to Dede.

He further said the indictment was prepared by the orders of the "ruling party and their partners."

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and their allies Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) have long accused the HDP of being "the political wing of the PKK."

Women's struggle

"We approached the indictment both as a document of pushing the HDP and the ideology it represents out of politics, and, specifically, pushing the women's struggle out of politics," lawyer Maviş Aydın remarked.

"The fact that demonstrations on November 25 Day of Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and March 8 Women's Day are included in the indictment as criminal charges is a threat against women's struggle for freedom. I think the Constitutional Court needs to examine this seriously and diligently.

"We think that women should take an active part in politics. We think that pushing women out of politics carries serious risks and will harm all the rights that women have gained so far."

The HDP's co-chairpersonship system was also cited as proof of its alleged connections with the PKK, which was also a threat against women's struggle, said Aydın.

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(AS/VK)