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Kurdish MP detained in Turkey goes on hunger strike
[Rudaw] A detained politician from the A DTK ran on a joint list with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in the June 24 election. Guven won a seat, but has not been sworn in due to her arrest. She was tossed in the slammer ... anything you say can and will be used against you, whether you say it or not... on January 31 after opposing ...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire.... ’s military offensive against the Kurdish enclave of Afrin in northern Syria. HDP had appealed for her release in September, arguing she should be given the same consideration as a CHP politician who was released after being elected and, therefore, gaining parliamentary immunity. Her lawyer, Reyhan Yalcindag-Baydemir, told Bianet new agency that Guven has gone on an "indefinite and irreversible hunger strike" to protest being denied a fair trial. HDP’s former leaders, Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, are among the many party members and supporters in jail in Turkey. The party condemned the court’s decision on Wednesday. "The  ...anybody not a leftist...government did not release Leyla Guven. We already did not have hope in this regard. The court had previously ordered her release, but after four hours another court dissolved the ruling. When it comes to Kurdish politicians, the court gives various orders," Berdan Ozturk told journalists in front of the court. Guven and Ozturk are also co-chairs of the DTK. Ozturk said Guven told the judge she did not regret her opposition to the "Guven said, ’I expressed my opposition to the Afrin operation, that’s why I’m here. If released, I will describe your operations in Kobane as an invasion,’" Ozturk recounted. Guven attended the court hearing remotely via video after she refused to be handcuffed. Prosecutors are demanding 31 years and six months jail for "propagating for a terrorist organization," referring to People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria ‐ considered by the Guven’s trial will continue on December 26. Posted by: trailing wife 2018-11-10 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=527324 |