Turkish court upholds jail term for ex-HDP leader

By Ismet Karakas

ANKARA (AA) - An Ankara court on Wednesday upheld prison sentence for former co-chair of Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), judicial sources said.

According to the sources, HDP former co-chairman Selahattin Demirtas's jail term has been upheld by the Ankara High Criminal Court No: 1.

In September, Demirtas was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison after he was convicted of "spreading terrorist propaganda," “terrorist organization leadership” and “public incitement to hatred and hostility.”

Lawyers of the opposition HDP had appealed against the sentence.

Around a dozen HDP lawmakers are currently in prison pending trial for terrorism-related offenses after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in May 2016.

Turkey's government has accused the HDP of having links to the PKK terrorist organization.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.


*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic