ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Jailed former leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for being “courageous” and “promoting peace" In Turkey.
He was nominated by Swedish lawmaker Thomas Hammarberg, a Social Democrat and human rights advocate.
“For the last twelve years, Demirtas has played a key role in almost every initiative in Turkey promoting peace between Kurds and Turks, minority rights, women rights, homosexual rights, and democracy,” read Hammarberg’s letter that was submitted to the Nobel Committee as reported by Turkey’s Gazete Duvar outlet.
Demirtas faces up to more than 144 years in prison on terror-related charges.
“He has been constant and courageous in his work for a peaceful solution of Kurdish question. He has worked for an end of warfare against Kurds in Turkey and Syria,” the letter added.
Demirtas was jailed on November 4, 2016, along with then fellow HDP co-chair Figen Yuksekdag on the charges. Demirtas had run a fiery campaign against the ruling Justice and Development Party engaging in debates against then PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“He has reminded us, even when behind bars, that the struggle for peace is never more important than in troubled times like now,” the letter continued.
Demirtas, a Kurd, and others had been asked by the Turkish state to help moderate in peace talks with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
“In a nation marred by authoritarianism, sectarian conflict, profoundly flawed justice system, non- free expression and no fundamental human rights, he has been a steadfast defender of those seeking to establish a just society where all the peoples of Turkey can live together in peace and prosperity, in full knowledge of their intertwined cultural and political histories,” Hammarberg continued.
Demirtas has been to trial multiple times, but his future remains uncertain. Many see him as the only figure capable of negotiating a peace deal between the PKK and Ankara.
The native son of Elazig was born 1973. He led the HDP's presidential and parliamentary election campaign from prison in June 2018 securing 65 seats — up from 59.
Last year, Yezidi Nadia Murad was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for raising awareness of sexual violence in conflict. The native of Shingal survived enslavement by ISIS and has been a global advocate to recognize the genocide against the Yezidis at the hands of ISIS.
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