New development in the case where Selahattin Demirtaş faces up to 15 years in prison
The second hearing of the trial in Diyarbakır for former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who faces a political ban and up to 15 years in prison due to speeches he made in 2016, has been adjourned.
12punto
A new date has been set in the trial of former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who is being tried for his speeches at various press conferences, rallies, and television programs in 2016. While Demirtaş did not attend the second hearing held at the Diyarbakır 18th Criminal Court of First Instance, his lawyer Mahsuni Karaman was present in the courtroom.
The court panel decided to await the outcomes of the case files opened against Demirtaş at the Ankara 22nd High Criminal Court and the Mersin 14th Criminal Court of First Instance, which are currently at the appellate stage. In this context, the next hearing date was set for June 3, 2026.
Demirtaş faces charges of "publicly degrading the State of the Republic of Turkey, its Government, judicial bodies, and its police and military organizations," "publicly inciting the public to hatred and hostility," "publicly inciting to commit a crime," "praising a crime and a criminal," and "organizing, managing, and participating in unlawful meetings and protest marches" due to a total of seven speeches he made in 2016. Within the scope of these charges, the trial continues with the demand for a political ban and a total prison sentence of up to 15 years for Demirtaş.