DEM Party: Demirtaş, Yüksekdağ and other political prisoners must be released immediately

Source: News Center

The Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party ( DEM Party ) Law and Human Rights Commission demanded the release of HDP political prisoners, including former HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, who have been held in prison for nearly nine years.

Recalling the ECHR decisions regarding Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ, the DEM Party also recalled the conviction decisions in the Kobani Case and said the following:

"Within the scope of the Kobani Case, in addition to our former Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdağ, Ali Ürküt, Nazmi Gür, Alp Altınörs, Günay Kubilay, Aynur Aşan, Bülent Parmaksız, Dilek Yağlı, İsmail Şengül, Pervin Oduncu, Zeynep Karaman, and Zeynep Ölbeci are also currently detained. The Ankara 22nd High Criminal Court ruled for the pre-trial detention of our colleagues on May 16, 2024, and more than a year after this decision, it announced its reasoned decision on June 25, 2025, and the case file was referred to the 22nd Criminal Chamber of the Ankara Regional Court of Justice on September 24, 2025."

Addressing the government, the DEM Party also reminded the current process and demanded the release of detained politicians:

In the Kobani Case, taking into account the numerous ECtHR rulings issued to date concerning Mr. Demirtaş, Mr. Yüksekdağ, and our other colleagues, and most recently, the ECtHR's ruling of July 8, 2025, the Committee of Ministers' decision must be fulfilled and our colleagues must be released. Considering the unjust detention of Mr. Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ since November 4, 2016, the requirements of the ECtHR rulings must be fulfilled in accordance with Article 90/5 of the Constitution. All politicians detained in the context of this case must be released immediately. To prevent further undermining trust in justice and to strengthen faith in peace at a time when expectations of social peace are rising, our colleagues must be released as soon as possible.

Demirtaş's lawyer, Mahsuni Karaman, stated that if the government did not object by October 8, the ECHR's decision regarding Selahattin Demirtaş would become final and that this date was critical for Demirtaş's possible release.