Turkish court accepts indictment against top HDP figure

By Cemal Asan

VAN, Turkey (AA) – A legal indictment calling for the co-leader of a Turkish opposition party to serve five years in prison was accepted by a court in the east of the country on Thursday.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Van province charged Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Figen Yuksekdag with "making propaganda for a terrorist organization" and acting against Turkish electoral law.

Charges stem from an October 2015 incident in which Yuksekdag reportedly referred to slain PKK terrorists as “martyrs” during an election campaign speech.

According to Thursday’s indictment, Yuksekdag should receive a five-year jail term if convicted.

Yuksekdag is already in custody on terror-related charges along with a dozen other HDP lawmakers, including fellow party leader Selahattin Demirtas.

The lawmakers face prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted earlier this year.

Turkey’s government has accused the HDP of being linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Ankara, the U.S. and the EU.