Lawyers urge Turkish court to free top Kurdish politician

A Turkish appeals court has approved the release of jailed opposition politician Selahattin Demirtas, but he and his lawyers are pessimistic that the judiciary will act independently of political pressure to keep him behind bars.
The leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas, makes a speech during a rally in Istanbul, Turkey, June 5, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal - D1BETIDULRAB
The leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition People's Democratic Party, Selahattin Demirtas, makes a speech during a rally in Istanbul, Turkey, June 5, 2016. - REUTERS/Osman Orsal
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ISTANBUL — Lawyers for jailed Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas called on Turkey’s judiciary to heed a high court ruling for his release from prison as they prepare to argue his case before a panel of international judges this week.

Demirtas has been behind bars since November 2016 on terrorism-related charges all stemming from political statements he made as chairman of the leftist Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), whose base is overwhelmingly Kurdish. His case has drawn the ire of the European Union and rights groups alike for harming democratic pluralism in Turkey.

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