September 7, 2018
The leading figures of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), former co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, and former HDP deputy Sırrı Süreyya Önder were sentenced to prison on Friday by a court in İstanbul, according to a report by the Cumhuriyet daily.
Participating in the hearing via the SEGBİS audiovisual system, Demirtaş requested the hearing be adjourned to allow him additional time to prepare a defense, but the court rejected his request and handed down the sentence.
Demirtaş was sentenced to four years, eight months in prison while Önder was sentenced to three years, six months at the same hearing, for speeches at a Kurdish new year celebration (Newroz) during the peace process in 2013.
Demirtaş condemned the panel of judges for “not being independent,” saying the court had acted with bias due to his and Önder’s “political views.”
Demirtaş also said during the hearing: “There are two reasons why I attended today’s hearing via SEGBİS. The first reason is that I have some trouble traveling because of a health problem. The second is that you gave me the choice of participating in person or via SEGBİS in the statement you issued. It is illegal to be judged via SEGBIS, but today is my choice.”
…
https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-court-gives-prison-sentences-to-pro-kurdish-hdps-demirtas-and-onder/
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45450622
http://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/turkey/07092018
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/365350-kurdish-leader-jailed-for-four-years-over-terror-propaganda
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selahattin_Demirta%C5%9F
http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20180908-aurore-selahattin-demirtas-turquie-prison-emmanuelle-colas (FRANCAIS)
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selahattin_Demirta%C5%9F (FRANCAIS)
https://www.dw.com/de/kurdenpolitiker-selahattin-demirtas-erneut-verurteilt/a-45403711 (DEUTSCH)