HDP’s İdris Baluken sentenced to 16 years 8 months imprisonment

The seventh hearing of the trial on “organisation membership” charges against HDP Diyarbakır Member of Parliament İdris Baluken, who was detained on 4 November 2016 in Bingöl where he was brought after having been arrested, was heard at Diyarbakır Serious Crime Court No 8. Baluken was sentenced to sixteen years and eight months’ imprisonment at the hearing.
 
KEMALBAY’S REACTION: TRAVESTY OF THE LAW
 
HDP Co-Chair Serpil Kemalbay described the sentencing of Diyarbakır MP İdris Baluken to sixteen years and eight months’ imprisonment as a travesty of the law.
 
According to an announcement made by the HDP Press Office, Diyarbakır MP İdris Baluken’s ruling hearing heard today at Diyarbakır Serious Crime Court No 8 was monitored by Central Executive Committee members and MPs. Following the handing down of the sixteen years and eight months’ sentence to Baluken on the counts of “membership of an armed terrorist organisation,” “making propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organisation” and “breach of the law on meetings, demonstrations and marches,” HDP Co-Chair Serpil Kemalbay, commenting on the ruling, said, “If it is necessary to say what İdris Baluken did to deserve these punishments, he served as HDP group deputy chair, he engaged in political activity as one of the most valued MPs and represented the will of six million in parliament.”
 
Kemalbay, describing the ruling as a travesty of the law, said, “This sentence is rage felt at the struggle for democracy and peace. The law has been used as a cudgel. Previously, the court bench came out unanimously in support of release. But, then, the prosecutor objected even though this was unwarranted under the law. The subsequently issued decree with the force of law number 696 was to give legality to this. We are at İdris Baluken’s side. This ruling is not legal but political.”