The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Turkey violated the rights of Selahattin Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), and ordered his release. Demirtaş has been imprisoned since 2016 on terrorism-related charges widely seen as politically motivated. The ECHR’s decision cited violations of his freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and right to free elections, finding that his detention aimed to stifle political pluralism and limit freedom of debate.
The court concluded that Turkey’s actions were driven by an ulterior motive: to silence Demirtaş as a political opponent. They emphasized the timing of his arrest, coinciding with critical political events and elections. This imprisonment is viewed as an attempt to suppress the HDP, a party representing Kurdish and other minority interests, and thus undermine democratic processes.
Despite the ECHR ruling, Turkey has refused to release Demirtaş. This defiance of the court underscores the authoritarian tendencies of the Erdoğan government and its disregard for international law. The ongoing imprisonment and the government’s dismissive response highlight the Turkish state’s continued suppression of Kurdish political figures and the broader erosion of democratic rights within the country.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/10/08/echr-o08.html
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