Top Turkish court suspends Treasury funding for HDP

By Aylin Dal

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye's Constitutional Court on Thursday ruled to block accounts receiving Treasury aid of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), an opposition party accused of links with the PKK terrorist organization.

In a trial seeking the party's closure, prosecutor Bekir Sahin requested the accounts be temporarily frozen on the grounds that funds were being transferred to the PKK, considering that the party's "organic" links with the terror group remained.

The decision, accepted with a majority of eight members of the court against seven, will be revisited after the HDP files its response with the court.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU – has been responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants. Though normally officially banned, the terrorist group also has a presence in numerous European countries.

The Turkish government accuses the HDP of having links to the PKK terror group.