Danish lawmakers, former FMs call for release of Kurdish leader DemirtaşDemirtas, the former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), remains jailed by Turkish authorities despite two European Court of Human Rights rulings calling for his immediate release.

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2021/12/06 
Danish lawmakers, former FMs call for release of Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtaş. (Photo: Nikolaj Villumsen/Twitter)
Europe Turkey HDP Bakur Denmark EU


ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – In a joint statement published in Danish daily newspaper Information, 31 Danish lawmakers from eight different parties and three former Danish foreign ministers on Monday called for the immediate release of Kurdish opposition politician Selahattin Demirtas from a Turkish jail.

Demirtas, the former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP), remains jailed by Turkish authorities despite two European Court of Human Rights rulings calling for his immediate release.

"We have a clear judgment from the European Court of Human Rights that Erdogan refuses to follow," said Nikolaj Villumsen, an EU lawmaker representing The Red-Green Alliance from Denmark.

"This is totally unacceptable and European countries should take action in order to force Turkey to live up to its obligations."

"The fact that members from such a broad part of the Danish Parliament and even former ministers of foreign affairs stand together in this call for action shows the strength of the campaign to free Selahattin Demirtas," he concluded.

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