The portrait of Selahattin Demirtas is held up by supporters of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP, pro-Kurdish, predecessor of today's DEM), during a rally in Istanbul on Feb. 3, 2019. (Photo: Yasin Akgul/AFP)
The timing is far from coincidental. For years, supporters of the well-known Kurdish opposition figure Selahattin Demirtas, along with human rights advocates, have been calling for his release. Yet the recent positive signals from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s allies in this direction coincide with the progress in the peace process, launched a year ago, between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).In recent days, new momentum appears to have gathered around the possible release of the charismatic Kurdish leader, who was arrested in 2016 and sentenced three years later to 42 years in prison for alleged “terrorist propaganda in favor of the PKK,” “insulting the president,” and “calling for demonstrations in support of Kurdish militants fighting against the jihadists in Kobane, Syria.” More on this story that you (may)...
The timing is far from coincidental. For years, supporters of the well-known Kurdish opposition figure Selahattin Demirtas, along with human rights advocates, have been calling for his release. Yet the recent positive signals from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s allies in this direction coincide with the progress in the peace process, launched a year ago, between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).In recent days, new momentum appears to have gathered around the possible release of the charismatic Kurdish leader, who was arrested in 2016 and sentenced three years later to 42 years in prison for alleged “terrorist propaganda in favor of the PKK,” “insulting the president,” and “calling for demonstrations in support of Kurdish militants fighting against the jihadists in Kobane, Syria.” More on this...
