Selahattin Demirtaş

Devlet Bahçeli, the head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu have slammed a verdict by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on the release of the former co-leader of the People's Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaş, who they both has categorized as a "terrorist."

President Tayyip Erdogan accused Europe's top rights court of hypocrisy on Wednesday for calling on Turkey to release a jailed Kurdish politician, saying it was defending a "terrorist," a stance rejected by his defenders as a cover to stifle democracy.

Supporter of Selahattin Demirtas holding a picture of of Demirtas at an election campaign office in Istanbul, June 17 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

The European rights court said his detention for more than four years has sent a "dangerous message" to Turkish people and was "merely a cover for an ulterior political purpose".

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that a call by the European Court of Human Rights for the release of Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas was hypocritical and only Turkish courts can rule on his case.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Dec. 22 ruled that the arrest of Turkey's opposition politician Selahattin Demirtaş in 2017 for terror charges violated his freedom of expression and right to participate in elections.

The Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) co-leader was being deprived of the rights to liberty, security, and freedom of choice, the ruling said.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Wednesday that Turkey should immediately release prominent Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtas, and said the justification for his years in prison was cover for limiting pluralism and debate.

Presidential High Advisory Board member and former Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç resigned on Nov. 24 after his division with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the imprisonment of jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala and former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan rejected a call by his adviser Bülent Arınç for the release of jailed philanthropist and businessman Osman Kavala and former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, stressing that his party's alliance with the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) is sturdy.

İYİ (Good) Party leader Meral Akşener on June 17 criticized a tweet containing sexual assault threats against Başak Demirtaş, the wife of jailed former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, urging a stop to "doing politics over female bodies."

Turkey's opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on June 15 started the "March for Democracy against Coup" in the northwestern province of Edirne and the southeastern province of Hakkari.

The march, which aimed to end in the capital Ankara on June 20, has faced restrictions including bans on entry and exit to some provinces due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.