AKEL demands the release of Selahattin Demirtas

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 21 June 2018, Nicosia

The AKEL Members of Parliament issued an appeal demanding the release of Selahattin Demirtaş, a candidate for the upcoming presidential elections in Turkey, so that he can, even at this stage, participate in the election campaign.

Headed by the General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Andros Kyprianou, AKEL Members of Parliament Yiorgos Loukaides, Stefanos Stefanou, Aristos Damianou, Yiorgos T. Yeorgiou, Skevi Koukouma, Eleni Mavrou, Andreas Fakontis, Andros Kafkalias, Kostas Kosta, Christakis Tziovanis, Yiorgos K. Yiorgiou, Nikos Kettiros, Adamos Adamou and Evanthia Savva joined their voices with those of dozens of other MP’s from various Council of Europe member countries who, with their written appeal addressed to the Turkish authorities, are demanding the release of Selahattin Demirtaş.

As it is known, Selahattin Demirtaş, a member of the Turkish National Assembly elected as an MP for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), has been in detention since November 2016 after his parliamentary immunity was lifted and despite the contrary opinion expressed on the matter by the relevant committee of the Council of Europe. However, the Erdogan regime is proceeding to the elections by keeping the country in a state of emergency, with endless ongoing prosecutions against every opposition voice, and without adhering to even elementary preconditions and guarantees for free and fair elections.

AKEL expresses its solidarity with the progressive forces of the country, which, in conditions of violent persecution, are struggling for democracy, freedom and social justice in Turkey, for peace and friendship with the peoples of the region.