Turkey’s opposition HDP to apply to election board for Demirtaş’s release

Demirtaş, who was arrested on Nov. 4, 2016, and is currently being held in a prison in the western province of Edirne, is the HDP’s presidential candidate for the June 24 elections.

Demirtaş’s lawyers are planning to apply to the YSK for the former co-chair to be able to address his supporters during the campaigning process.

In its application, the party will draw attention to prison conditions, while also demanding the board to free Demirtaş in order for the election campaigning to be carried out under democratic and equal conditions.

According to information obtained by daily Cumhuriyet, Demirtaş’s speeches will be in a way that will appeal to people from all political spectrums and will focus on Turkey’s normalization and transition process.

The former co-chair will carry out his election campaign via the messages he will send with his lawyers, thus an intense collaboration between him and the lawyers are expected. Social media will be the main tool for campaigning since there is little to no mainstream media coverage of the HDP.

The HDP’s decision to nominate Demirtaş for president will be conveyed to the YSK on May 5.

 Demirtaş için YSK'ye 'serbest bırakın' başvurusu