Constitutional Court Declares HDP MP Yıldırım’s Appeal Inadmissible

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The Constitutional Court has declared the application of Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Mardin MP Gülser Yıldırım, inadmissible. The court in its decision ruled the rights violation claims Yıldırım made in her individual application to be "groundless".

The court in its ruling has stated that it had ruled Yıldırım's application lodged on November 16, 2017 inadmissible on the grounds that, "the claims that 'the arrest was unlawful', 'her freedom of violation and right to stand for election and carry out political activities were violated' and 'the access to the investigation file was restricted' were groundless. The court added that since other domestic legal remedies had been exhausted, Yıldırım's application had to be declared inadmissible.

Appeal against decision to relieve Yıldırım of MP duties rejected as well

The court has not reached a verdict yet on the applications of the other eights HDP MPs who are still behind bars.

CLICK - The Status of HDP MPs to Date

Earlier, the Constitutional Court had rejected the appeal against the decision that the HDP MPs Faysal Sarıyıldız and Tuğba Hezer-Öztürk be relieved of their MP duties, and had ruled that the decision was in accordance with the Constitution, the applicable laws, and the by-laws.

Yıldırım acquitted of one case

Gülser Yıldırım, who was arrested on November 4, 2016, was acquitted in yesterday's hearing in a trial, in which she was being charged of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" and "inciting people to insurgence".

Court had recognized rights violation for CHP's Balbay

Republican People's Party (CHP) İzmir MP Mustafa Balbay had also lodged an appeal against his arrest while he was in jail pending trial as a part of the Ergenekon Hearings.

The court had granted Balbay's appeal claiming to be violated in his right to a fair trial and ruled that he be paid 5,000 TL (1,099 Euro) in moral damages.

Appeal of HDP MPs pending for one year

Members of HDP Central Executive Board have informed in a statement they held in front of the Constitutional Court on March 27, 2017, that the applications of HDP MPs had been pending for 6 months now. As of today, one year has passed, since the eight MPs had lodged an appeal. (AS/DG)