Former HDP co-leader Selahettin Demirtas posing for a photo with former Amed Mayor in prison in Turkey, on December 7, 2022.
photo: KurdSat English via Selahattin Demirtas Twitter account
Former HDP co-leader Selahetin Demirtas posted a picture of himself and Adnan Selcuk Mizrakli, who was sacked following his election as mayor of HDP stronghold Amed.
Today, Wednesday, from his prison cell, former HDP co-leader Salahaddin Demirtas posted a picture of himself and Dr. Adnan Selçuk Mızrakli. Demirtas said the sentence forced on my cellmate, Dr. Adnan Selcuk Mizrakli, was overturned in the Supreme Court, unfortunately, the Amed court has not released Dr. Mizrakli and thousands of others like him. The former Amed Mayor was sacked and put behind bars shortly after winning the Amed Mayor Office; he was accused of cooperating with the outlawed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK), charges that were not proven.
Although the Turkish Supreme Court overturned the Amed court sentence, the court has refused to follow through. The Supreme court argued that there were legal gaps in convicting Mizrakli. A few weeks later, he was removed for helping the PKK and replaced by another. The Amed Heavy Penalties Court was sentenced to nine years, four months, and 15 days later.
Complaining about the Justice System in Turkey, Demirtas also said, "Dont worry, times change."
Turkish security forces detained Demirtas in 2016 and flew him to the maximum-security prison in Imrali prison, a rocky island off the coast of Istanbul. He has faced numerous charges since 2016.