Turkey
HDP members gathered in front of Sincan Prison, where former MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu is being held. July 5, 2021. Photo: HDP/Twitter
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The son of a former pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) lawmaker was detained, along with several journalists in Turkey, the party said on Monday.
HDP members gathered on Monday in front of Ankara's Sincan Prison, where former MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu is being held, to protest his delayed release. They were attacked and “four people, including Salih Gergerlioglu and journalists were detained,” HDP tweeted on Monday.
Salih Gergerlioglu is the son of the HDP lawmaker. He said in a tweet “I was detained,” on Monday.
Faruk Gergerlioglu was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail in 2018 on charges of making propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in connection with a 2016 tweet about how to peacefully end the decades-long conflict between the PKK, an armed group fighting for increased Kurdish rights, and the Turkish state.
The decision was upheld by a higher court, ending his membership in parliament in February. He was detained for a short period of time on March 21 and detained again on April 2. He has been incarcerated since then.
Turkey's Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that his "right to be elected and engage in political activities," as well as "the right to liberty and security," have been violated, reported Bianet, an independent news outlet.
“The Constitutional Court has given a ruling of 'rights violation' for my father. My father is going to be released; he is going to be released,” his son Salih had tweeted.
The HDP has been subjected to a government crackdown for its alleged links to the PKK, links which the party denies. Scores of its members and politicians have been arrested in recent years on terror charges. Last month, Turkey's Constitutional Court accepted an indictment seeking the closure of the party and a political ban on hundreds of party members.
HDP members gathered on Monday in front of Ankara's Sincan Prison, where former MP Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu is being held, to protest his delayed release. They were attacked and “four people, including Salih Gergerlioglu and journalists were detained,” HDP tweeted on Monday.
Salih Gergerlioglu is the son of the HDP lawmaker. He said in a tweet “I was detained,” on Monday.
Faruk Gergerlioglu was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail in 2018 on charges of making propaganda for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), in connection with a 2016 tweet about how to peacefully end the decades-long conflict between the PKK, an armed group fighting for increased Kurdish rights, and the Turkish state.
The decision was upheld by a higher court, ending his membership in parliament in February. He was detained for a short period of time on March 21 and detained again on April 2. He has been incarcerated since then.
Turkey's Constitutional Court ruled on Thursday that his "right to be elected and engage in political activities," as well as "the right to liberty and security," have been violated, reported Bianet, an independent news outlet.
“The Constitutional Court has given a ruling of 'rights violation' for my father. My father is going to be released; he is going to be released,” his son Salih had tweeted.
The HDP has been subjected to a government crackdown for its alleged links to the PKK, links which the party denies. Scores of its members and politicians have been arrested in recent years on terror charges. Last month, Turkey's Constitutional Court accepted an indictment seeking the closure of the party and a political ban on hundreds of party members.
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