15 February 2017•Update: 15 February 2017
SIRNAK, Turkey
A lawmaker from the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), who was accused of being a member of the terrorist PKK group, has been released, a Turkish Court said Wednesday.
The second High Criminal Court in southeastern Turkish province of Sirnak ruled to free Ferhat Encu pending trial.
Encu was detained Nov. 4, 2016, under a counter terrorism investigation run by Sirnak Public Prosecutor’s office.
The prosecutors demanded up to 15 years of jail term for Encu on charges of being a member of an armed terrorist organization.
In November, 13 HDP lawmakers were also arrested, and 10 of them -- including HDP co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag -- remain in custody pending trial on terrorism-related charges.
The lawmakers face prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in March last year.
Turkey’s government has accused the HDP of having links to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU.
*Reporting by Aziz Aslan and Ekrem Payan; Writing by Sorwar Alam
