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Turkey’s Kurdish party leader Demirtas given 5-month jail sentence

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ANKARA,— A Turkish court on Tuesday ordered the co-leader of the Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas to serve five months in jail, in the latest legal blow to the politician.

Demirtas has been held in jail since November on charges of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and making terror propaganda on their behalf.

If found guilty in that case, he risks up to 142 years in jail.

In a separate case, a court in the eastern city of Dogubayazit convicted Demirtas of denigrating the Turkish state and its institutions and sentenced him to five months in jail, state media said.

Demirtas is currently being held at a prison in Edirne, in northwest Turkey, far from the southeastern heartland of the Kurdish movement.

In a separate development, Turkish authorities on Tuesday stripped the other co-leader of the HDP, Figen Yuksekdag, who is also held in jail, of her parliamentary seat.

The move was based on a 2013 conviction for “terror propaganda” which was validated by the top court of appeals in 2016.

According to the Anadolu news agency, the validated conviction was read out by the deputy speaker in the plenary session, which is enough for an MP to lose their seat.

The move means that the number of HDP MPs in the Turkish parliament has now fallen to 58, Anadolu said.

Demirtas and Yuksekdag are among a dozen HDP MPs being held in prison ahead of trial on charges of links with the PKK after being detained last year.

Thousands of officials from the HDP and dozens of lawmaker have been detained since 2015.

The government accuses the HDP of having links to the PKK, a charge that the HDP denies.

The European Union has expressed anger over their detention, calling on Turkey to abide by its obligations under the rule of law.

HDP MP Ahmet Yildirim said that the decision over Yuksekdag “violated the Turkish constitution”, asking why the move did not come immediately after the verdict was approved by the appeals court five months ago.

The PKK took up arms in 1984 against the Turkish state, which still denies the constitutional existence of Kurds, to push for greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority who make up around 22.5 million of the country’s 79-million population.

A large Kurdish community in Turkey and worldwide openly sympathise with PKK rebels and Abdullah Ocalan, who founded the PKK group in 1974, and has a high symbolic value for most Kurds in Turkey and worldwide according to observers.

Source: http://ekurd.net/turkey-kurdish-demirtas-sentence-2017-02-22

Life in Turkey, Kurd leaders to Jail house, Turk generals to court house Erdogan on vacation

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HDP co-chair Yüksekdağ loses seat in parliament

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yüksekdağ, who has been in jail for three months on terror charges, has lost her parliamentary status for a prison sentence she received in a previous case. 

Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Ayşenur Bahçekapılı read out a Prime Ministry motion at the start of the parliamentary session on Feb. 21, regarding Yüksekdağ’s sentencing on “terror propaganda” on Nov. 27, 2013, which was approved by the Supreme Court of Appeals on Sept. 22, 2016.

According to the constitution, the loss of the parliamentary seat “through a final judicial sentence or deprivation of legal capacity, shall take effect after the final court decision in the matter has been communicated to the plenary” of the parliament, without the necessity for a vote.

Yüksekdağ, who was also the party’s lawmaker from the eastern province of Van, was arrested on Nov. 4, 2016, over her alleged links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). She currently faces over 80 years in prison.

Ahmet Yıldırım, HDP’s deputy parliamentary group leader, said the decision was “void.”

“The prosecutors, judges of the said sentencing are currently in prison. The ruling of a power hiding behind terrorists cannot be the ruling of the judiciary,” Yıldırım said.

Trial begins for murder of soldier who resisted July 15 coup attempt

The trial for the killing of a Turkish anti-coup soldier, who has been idolized for his resistance during a raid on the Special Forces Command in Ankara before he was killed by coup plotting soldiers, has started. 

Ankara 14th Heavy Penal Court on Feb. 21 started the trials of 18 suspects in the case regarding the murder of non-commissioned officer Ömer Halisdemir after he shot a pro-coup general, Semih Terzi, who arrived in the commandership to capture it as part of its coup activities on July 15, 2016, which is widely believed to have been masterminded by the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ).

Acting on his commander’s orders, Halisdemir shot Terzi dead outside the special forces’ headquarters in Ankara. He was later killed by the plotters.

Hundreds of babies born after the coup have been named after Halisdemir as a tribute, while hundreds of thousands have visited his grave. Parks, schools and other public places have been named after him, while a cottage industry of souvenirs to preserve his memory was founded.

Dressed in suits, they were escorted into the courthouse by paramilitary forces in front of cameras surrounded by heavy security and a water cannon truck.

The courtroom was packed with security forces including police with shields behind the suspects as the judge confirmed the identities of those on trial.

Some 18 suspects, who are currently being accused of deliberately killing the soldier and attempting to remove the government, are facing multiple life sentences.

HDP co-chair Demirtaş given jail term, MP arrested

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who is currently under arrest, was sentenced on Feb. 21 to five months in prison on charges of “insulting the state and its institutions,” while the party’s Diyarbakır Deputy İdris Baluken was arrested for a second time in Ankara.

The Doğubayazıt 2nd criminal court of first instance on Feb. 21 sentenced Demirtaş to five years in prison on charges of “denigrating the Turkish nation, the Turkish Republic and the institutions of the state.”

Police also detained Baluken following an appeal against his release in a case filed as part of a terror investigation on Feb. 21. He was later arrested.

He had previously been released on Jan. 30 after being arrested on Nov. 4, 2016. An arrest warrant was later issued for him.

The court in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Feb. 17 had issued an arrest warrant for HDP Diyarbakır deputy Baluken.

The prosecutor’s office previously appealed the court decision on Baluken’s release pending trial on Jan. 30 to a higher court.

After reviewing the appeal, the Diyarbakır 1st court of serious crimes on Feb. 17 issued an arrest warrant for Baluken.

Baluken faces an aggravated life sentence and up to 23 years in prison on four separate charges, namely “disrupting the unity of the state and the country,” “being a member of armed terror organization,” “engaging terror organization propaganda” and “refusing to disperse despite warning in illegal demonstration and marches.”

Source: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/hdp-co-chair-demirtas-given-jail-term-mp-arrested-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=110006&NewsCatID=341

Hundreds protested Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım who held a rally in Oberhausen, Germany today.

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German Left Party (Die Linke), Left Party Youth Organization and ‘No’ Platform of Europe have organised a demonstration in the German city of Oberhausen where Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım held a meeting today afternoon.

Demonstrators who gathered at the Oberhausen Central Train Station Haupteingang at 11:00 called for a ‘No’ organisation in European cities for the upcoming referendum against the genocidal policies of the Turkey’s ruling AKP government.

Speakers pointed out that Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and the AKP intended to cause a polarization of the migrants, and protested the Turkish state’s political genocide and policies of elimination and annihilation.

Demonstrators later staged a march to the area of Yıldırım’s rally where they united with the demonstration of German Greens (Grüne), chanting “Together against fascism” and “No to fascism, no to dictatorship in Turkey”.

Turkey arrested more than 600 Kurd ahead of referendum

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Turkey has arrested more than 600 people for alleged links to Kurdish militants ahead of a referendum on constitutional amendments that would give the president sweeping executive powers.

The state-run Anadolu agency reported that counter-terror police detained 86 people suspected of being connected to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group in dawn raids on Tuesday in several areas across the country, in addition to 544 detained a day earlier.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said in a statement issued prior to the arrests that Turkish authorities arrested more than 300 of its members and executives on Monday, bringing those held this year to about 1,200.

A dozen of its lawmakers and scores of Kurdish mayors from a sister party have been jailed pending trial, according to the statement.

The party’s executive committee said in the statement that “the basic goal of these operations… is to hold the referendum without the HDP.”

“We will never bow down faced with this persecution and pressure,” the party said, adding “What they are trying to prevent with the detentions and arrests is a ‘No’ (vote in the referendum).”

Turkey will hold a referendum in mid-April on replacing the current parliamentary system with the executive presidency long sought by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The vote will be held under a state of emergency following last July’s botched coup against the Erdogan government.

Turkey arrests 2 more pro-Kurdish MPs ahead of referendum, “the world silent”

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This file photo shows the co-chairman of Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas. (Photo by AF

Turkish authorities have detained two more lawmakers from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in the latest move against party members ahead of a referendum on constitutional amendment.

The HDP’s official spokesman Ayhan Bilgen and another lawmaker representing the eastern province of Kars were taken into custody on Tuesday by a court order before a trial following his arrest by police on Sunday at an Ankara airport, after which he was transferred to the Kurdish-majority city of Diyarbakir in the country’s southeast, state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

According to the report, Bilgen was detained and held on charges of “membership in an armed terror organization.”

The other prominent HDP lawmaker, identified as the party’s legal expert Meral Danis Bestas, was also taken into custody after being initially arrested at her residence in Diyarbakir.

The party described the arrests in a statement as a bid to prevent the HDP from campaigning against constitutional changes sought by embattled President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a coup attempt last July and terrorist attacks across the country. The changes are expected to dramatically expand his powers after a referendum planned for April.

Damascus rejects Russia’s proposal on Kurdish autonomy in Syria

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The Syrian government has rejected Kurdish autonomy to be included in a new draft constitution being prepared by Russia, Al Masdar News reports.

Article 40 in the draft constitution called for decentralized “people’s societies”.

“The Kurdish cultural self-ruling systems and its organizations use both the Arabic and Kurdish languages equally,” the draft reads.

The Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), however are refusing to budge that federalism can be the only solution.

The Syrian government has rejected local autonomy or recognition of the Kurdish language on an equal level to Arabic.

The difficulty would also mean that other minority languages would also need to be recognized including Greek, Aramaic, Turkish and many others that the PYD have not advocated for.

According to the Syrian state media, during the Syrian peace talks in Astana last week, the Syrian government envoy Bashar Jaafari, said that the issue of federalism would be decided “by all Syrians and not decided unilaterally by a single component,” adding that all ideas “even one as crazy as federalism, must be put to a democratic vote”

“It’s completely unacceptable for a group of people to decide to create a statelet and call it federalism,” Jaafari continued.

Related links:

Al Masdar News. Syria rejects Russia’s suggestions on autonomous communities in Syria, including Kurds

Terrorist State of Turkey detains pro-Kurdish party spokesman amid post-coup purge

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Turkish police have arrested the spokesman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) as part of the government’s crackdown on the pro-Kurdish opposition party launched following last year’s failed military coup.

An unidentified Turkish security source said Ayhan Bilgen, who also serves as the MP for the city of Kars, was taken into custody at Ankara Esenboga Airport on Sunday and would be taken to southeastern Diyarbakir Province, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported.

Bilgen was detained for his failure to give testimony in an alleged terror probe underway by Diyarbakir prosecutor’s office, the source added.

Huda Kaya and Meral Danis Bestas, two other HDP lawmakers, were arrested on Saturday as part of the same investigation and released under judicial supervision.



The crackdown on opposition is part of measures taken under a state of emergency declared following the abortive military putsch on July 15, 2016, blamed on the movement led by US-based opposition cleric, Fethullah Gulen.

In November 2016, 13 HDP lawmakers were detained on charges of links to Kurdish militants. They have all denied having any ties with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, also known as the PKK.

Currently, 10 of those arrested, including HDP co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag still remain in custody awaiting trial.

Earlier this month, Diyarbakir prosecutors demanded a jail term of between 43 and 142 years for Demirtas and a prison sentence of between 30 and 83 years for the Yuksekdag.

Turkey has banned the PKK as a terrorist organization. The militant group has been calling for an autonomous Kurdish region since 1984.

A shaky ceasefire between Ankara and the PKK that had stood since 2013 was declared null and void by the militants in 2015 in the wake of a Turkish aerial campaign against the group.

Kurds say Syria risks further destabilization if Assad loses power now

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MOSCOW,— Syria risks further destabilization unless President Bashar Assad stays in power into the transitional period, a member of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) told Sputnik on Friday.

“Assad should in any case remain for a certain period until the transition, because otherwise the radical groups will lead the situation similar to Syria, Yemen, Somalia,” Abd Salam Ali said.

He further stressed that all of Syria’s long-standing problems “can be resolved only through federalization.”



“We need to find a formula that would allow Syria to remain united, but for everyone in Syria to feel that they gained their rights,” Salam Ali said.

Addressing the Russian draft of the Syrian constitution circulated at January 23-24 talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, he noted that it “partly, not completely, reflects what we would like to see.”

Syrian Kurds have long sought official recognition of the Kurdish language and their culture in Syria under Bashar al-Assad and his father’s regime.

Under Assad regime, the Kurdish language was not allowed to be taught in schools. In 1962, 20% of Syria’s ethnic Kurdish population were deprived of Syrian citizenship following a controversial census.

Syrian Kurds welcome the exclusion of the word “Arab” from the “Syrian Arab Republic” title in the Russian draft of the Syrian constitution, a member of the PYD Khaled Issa told Sputnik on Friday.

In 2013, Syrian Kurds have established three autonomous zones, or Cantons of Jazeera, Kobani and Afrin and a Kurdish government across Syrian Kurdistan (northern Syria) in 2013. On March 17, 2016 Syria’s Kurds declared a federal region in Syrian Kurdistan.

Syrian Kurds on Dec. 30, 2016 have approved a blueprint for a system of federal government in Syrian Kurdistan, reaffirming their plans for autonomy in areas they have controlled during the civil war.

Terrorist State of Turkey: Four Kurdish HDP lawmakers taken by force to give testimony

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DIYARBAKIR-AMED, Turkey’s Kurdish region,— Four Kurdish lawmakers from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) were detained on Jan. 25, including Sanliurfa MP Osman Baydemir, Diyarbakir MP Imam Tascier, Igdir MP Mehmet Emin Adiyaman and Mus MP Ahmet Yildirim.

HDP MPs Baydemir, Yildirim and Tascier were taken by force to testify on Wednesday. Another HDP MP Adiyaman was taken by force too to give testimony. All four deputies were released following their testimony.

Yildirim and Baydemir were detained in accordance with a warrant of taking by force in Diyarbakir Courthouse where they went to watch trial.

Same action was taken against HDP Diyarbakir MP Imam Tascier a few hours before that.

A probe was launched by Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into Tascier on charges of “overtly insulting government of Republic of Turkey”, “defaming President”, and “defaming a civil servant based on his/her duty”.

The prosecutor’s office on Wednesday has issued a warrant to take them by force. In line with the warrant, Tascier was detained as he left his home and brought to Diyarbakir Courthouse.

HDP Igdir MP Mehmet Emin Adiyaman as well was taken to prosecutor’s office by police in accordance with the warrant of taking by force this morning.

Meanwhile, the jailed and ousted mayor of the southeastern province of Mardin, Ahmet Turk, was taken to hospital in the eastern province of Elazig in order to obtain a health report. His lawyer and family have repeatedly said his health condition is deteriorating.

In May 2016, parliament voted to strip lawmakers of their legal immunity, paving the way for the HDP legislators’ arrests.

In November 12 Kurdish HDP lawmakers, including the two co-leaders, Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, were arrested on charges of links to the PKK which they deny.

Thousands of officials from the HDP have been detained since 2015. Turkey detained 200 HDP members in December 2016.

The government accuses the HDP of having links to the PKK, a charge that the HDP denies.

The PKK took up arms in 1984 against the Turkish state, which still denies the constitutional existence of Kurds, to push for greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority who make up around 22.5 million of the country’s 79-million population.

A large Kurdish community in Turkey and worldwide openly sympathise with PKK rebels and Abdullah Ocalan, who founded the PKK group in 1974, and has a high symbolic value for most Kurds in Turkey and worldwide according to observers.

LA FRANCE: Armenia and Kurdistan invited to Taol Kurun

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In 1918, Kurdistan was divided and divided into four other countries. Turkey perpetrated the Armenian genocide in 1915, with 1.5 million killed and disappeared Armenians.

On Tuesday, January 17, at 8:30 pm, the Chlorofilm and Féa associations will welcome the director Mikael Baudu with his film “Kurdistan, rêver au printemps” and the two photographers he followed on his journey through Kurdistan.

Invited by the AKB (Kurdish Friends of Britain), he filmed the reality of the lives of the Kurds in outlying neighborhoods in huge refugee camps, but he also met with young Kurdish fighters and academics who call for An in-depth transformation of the Kurdish society, to a “Kurdish spring” …

In the first part, an animated film awarded several times, directed by the young Ornella Macchia of Italian and Armenian origin, tells the story of a man who, in the covered market of Averan, invites the passer-by in his back shop To share its fruits and its history which is also that of the Armenian genocide …

The Reel of Quimperlé

Https://abp.bzh/armenie-et-kurdistan-invites-a-taol-kurun-41578? Utm_source = dlvr.it & utm_medium = twitter