MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

News Center- Turkish Constitutional Court has accepted the second indictment seeking the closure of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP).

Turkish Constitutional Court did the first examination on the second indictment seeking the closure of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in its session today (Monday).  The court has accepted the second indictment. The court also examined the requests for barring the party's bank account where it receives treasury aid. The court has rejected this measure at this stage of the prosecution.

HDP Diyarbakır MP Remziye Tosun criticized the acceptance of the indictment and said, “AKP-MHP fascist bloc attacks the Kurds whenever they are backed into a corner. We have seen this very clearly in recent processes. The closure case against the HDP is an attack on all Kurdish people.”

“We will not allow, we will take to the streets”

Remziye Tosun pointed out that the HDP is a “women’s party” and said:

“There will be a great resistance under the leadership of women. Our people will stand by their party. If the party is closed, people will take to the streets. We see how pressures and attacks by the government increase. The AKP-MHP coalition wants to attack four parts of Kurdistan. Whenever they lose, they try to make an argument over the Kurds. They have only HDP to attack. We will keep protecting our rights and fighting for our rights in every field.  Neither this case nor the policies of the government will intimidate us.”

How will the process proceed?

The accepted indictment will be sent to the HDP for a preliminary defense. The HDP has to summit its preliminary defense within the time period determined by the Supreme Court. But the party can demand an extension time from the court.

After the party gives its preliminary defense to the court, Bekir Şahin, the chief prosecutor of the Supreme Court of Appeals, will be asked for his opinion as to the accusations. His opinion will be sent to the HDP. Then the Constitutional Court will determine a date for the verbal defense of Bekir Şahin and HDP officials. Following this process, the rapporteur, who will collect information and documents about the case, will prepare a report on the accusations. While this process is ongoing, the Chief Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation and HDP can submit additional evidence or defense.

After the report is handed out to the Constitutional Court members, Court President Zühtü Arslan will set a date for the meeting and, the members will start examining the case as to the accusations.

A two-thirds majority, or votes of the 10 of 15 Constitutional Court members are needed to close the party because of the reasons cited in article 69 of the Constitution or impose other sanctions on the party such as partially or completely depriving it of public aid. The top court ruling will be submitted to the Court of Cassation Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which filed the case, and to the related political party, namely the HDP, and will be published in the Official Gazette. Those who have been imposed a political ban will not be able to be founders, members, executives, or supervisors of any other political party for five years.