Turkish court issues arrest warrant for opposition MP

By Aziz Aslan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (AA) - A court in southeastern Diyarbakir province issued an arrest warrant Monday for a lawmaker of opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) who was released from prison last week.

Ayhan Bilgen, a deputy for eastern Kars province, was among at least a dozen HDP lawmakers who were arrested in last November after their parliamentary immunities were lifted.

Bilgen was remanded in custody on Jan. 31 as part of a terrorism probe in Diyarbakir. The 5th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakir later released him on Sept. 8.

However, the 6th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakir on Monday accepted an appeal against Bilgen's release.

Bilgen faces up to 23 years in prison on charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization, incitement to commit crime and violating the law on meetings and demonstrations.

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

Some HDP deputies, including party co-leader Selahattin Demirtas, were arrested last November after they failed to answer summons to testify as part of a counter-terrorism investigation.