Press release of Turkey’s Prime Ministry regarding operation on HDP

Following is the press release of Office of the Prime Ministry with regards to detention of HDP co-chairs Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ and MPs.

"11 MPs from Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) have been detained for failing to appear in response to summons by prosecutors asking for their testimony in the probe after the constitutional amendment on lifting the parliamentary immunity of some parliament members who have been criminally charged entered into force.

In this context, co-chairs of HDP Figen Yüksekdağ Şenoğlu and Selahattin Demirtaş were taken into custody in Ankara and in Diyarbakir, respectively.

According to the statement made by the Ministry of Interior, the following MPs have been detained by police forces in accordance with the orders given by Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices of Diyarbakır, Şırnak, Hakkari, Van and Bingöl:

1. Ferhat Encü

2. Leyla Birlik

3. Selma Irmak

4. Abdullah Zeydan

5. Selahattin Demirtaş

6. İdris Baluken

7. Figen Yüksekdağ Şenoğlu

8. Sırrı Süreyya Önder

9. Ziya Pir

10. Gülser Yıldırım

11. Nursel Aydoğan

It has been announced that Faysal Sarıyıldız and Tuğba Hezer Öztürk for whom arrest warrants have been issued are abroad. The legal process for İmam Taşçıer and Nihat Akdoğan for whom custody warrant have been issued is still ongoing.

As known, those who refuse to respond to the summons by prosecutors asking for their testimony in probes and hence break the laws are taken into custody so as to take their testimony.

The constitutional amendment on lifting the parliamentary immunity of parliament members passed with 376 votes at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in May without a need to hold a referendum."

Source: https://www.birgun.net/haber-detay/basbakanlik-tan-dunya-basinina-hdp-aciklamasi-134193.html