Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) former co-chair Figen Yüksekdağ remains under arrest over terrorism-related allegations since November 2016 alongside other former co-chair of the party, Selahattin Demirtaş and 7 other Kurdish deputies.

 

The 15th hearing in the main case, in which 7 separate summaries against Yüksekdağ were joined, was held at Ankara 16th Heavy Penal Court on Friday.

 

Submitting her defence at the court, Yüksekdağ referred to the double arrest warrant issued against her recently and said; “Shame on this government which has still not understood that such measures will be of no use. If they still tend to such methods, this only shows the miserable state this government is in.”

 

Recalling that Selahattin Demirtaş remains behind bars despite the ECHR calling for his immediate release, Yüksekdağ said that the double arrest warrant was a measure to counter the ECHR ruling.

 

While lawyers demanded Yüksekdağ’s release, she said; “Many thanks to my lawyers but I don’t demand to be released. Since the very beginning, I stand trial in a totally political and government-motivated case. What matters here is not whether I get released or not. We just want the reality and truths to come to light. The truths in this case must be brought into the open. Prison sentences and double arrest warrants are not a big deal to us.”

 

Yüksekdağ called for the government to “take its hands off the courts where me and my friends stand trial”.

 

The court board ruled for the continuation of arrest and the next hearing was scheduled for December 24.