Opposition party to boycott Turkish parliament opening

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) says the party move aims to draw attention to imprisoned deputies.

A Turkish court has ordered the release of a parliamentarian, Ayhan Bilgen, who was the former spokesman for an opposition party, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on Sept. 8.
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A Turkish court has ordered the release of a parliamentarian, Ayhan Bilgen, who was the former spokesman for an opposition party, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) on Sept. 8.

The parliamentary group of opposition People's Democratic Party (HDP) will not attend the parliament's new legislative year that is due to begin on Sunday, according to a party spokesman on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference at HDP headquarters in capital Ankara on Thursday, Osman Baydemir accused Turkey's judicial system of "demolishing the free will of the nation.”

"We will not be a part of the covering up of lawlessness and injustice. [For this reason,] we will not attend the legislative year beginning on October 1." 

Ankara has accused the HDP of being linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the US, and the EU.

After the PKK resumed its armed campaign against Turkey that followed an almost two-year-long pause in hostilities in July 2015, it has been responsible for the deaths of some 1,200 Turkish security personnel and civilians, including many women and children. 

Several HDP deputies, including party leaders Figen Yuksekdag and Selahattin Demirtas, were arrested last November for allegedly failing to cooperate in a counterterrorism investigation.

Reminding that the party’s deputies were in prison, Baydemir said his party's parliamentary group would stand in front of the prison in Edirne where their leader Demirtas remains under arrest.

He said the HDP “deputies, who represent the will [of the peopel] in the parliament, and were elected by the nation, are in Edirne, Kandira, Silivri and Sincan prisons."

HDP deputies have been facing prosecution under the country’s anti-terrorism law after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in March 2016.

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