Bekir Sahin, Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, has filed a case with the Constitutional Court demanding the closure of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP). The indictment has been delivered to the Constitutional Court where the General Prosecution Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals’ demand for the HDP’s closure under Article 69 of the Constitution and Article 103 of the Law on Political Parties as well as the charge of the HDP being “the center of the PKK terrorist organization’s actions” are Demands for imposing a political ban on 687 HDP members and imposing a cautionary judgement on the HDP’s assets have also been included in the 609-page indictment. HDP members aim to disrupt and destroy the indivisible integrity of the state and with their declarations and actions, the indictment on the closure case filed by Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals Bekir Sahin said in a statement. “Merely not condemning terrorism is a reason for closure, according to the European Court of Human Rights.”

FIRST CASE AFTER 13 YEARS

This was the first time in 13 years that a case demanding the closure of a political party has been filed with the indictment prepared by the General Prosecution Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals. A closure case against the AK Party hadwas been filed on March 17, 2008. The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Leader Devlet Bahceli had been calling for the closure of HDP for a while. The fact that the case was filed case being filed on March 17, thea day before the MHP congress, has raised some eyebrows. attracted attention“The AK Party gave a congress gift to the MHP with the closure case, while prosecutors took action through political instructions,” said Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, Co-leaders of the HDP.

HDP Kocaeli Deputy Omer Faruk Gergerliouglu was dismissed from his post the day the case opened. “The AK Party-MHP government should know well that we will never submit, we’ll never kneel, and we will never compromise on democratic politics,” said Buldan and Sancar, stressing that the closure case is a stunning blow to the country’s democracy and the rule of law. Following Leyla Guven and Musa Farisogulari, the number of HDP deputies dismissed from their posts rose to three. The number of seats the HDP has in Parliament fell to 55.

WHAT NEXT?

Constitutional Court President Zuhtu Arslan will appoint a rapporteur. If the indictment is approved after the initial examination, it will be sent to the HDP and their statements on grounds and procedures will be taken. Following the preliminary defense, Chief Public Prosecutor Sahin will express his opinion on the grounds, which will be sent to the HDP. Then a oral self-defense will be taken from the HDP. The rapporteur will prepare the report on the procedure.