“Our message is the same inside and outside: peace, democracy, freedom”
HDP Group Deputy
Chairperson and Diyarbakir MP İdris Baluken was arrested in Bingöl
on November 4 in a police raid to HDP office.
Arrested for 86 days, Baluken stood trial in Diyarbakir 8th High Penal Court yesterday.
During the hearing, he said: “My duty of legislation has been prevented for 3 months. In 21st century, I have been in grave solitary confinement conditions for 3 months. During the voting for proposed constitutional amendments, we couldn't have voted. This is a violation of the constitution.”
After being released, Baluken spoke in front of Kandıra Prison:
“My release is not newsworthy today. What is newsworthy is the fact Selahattin Demirtaş is arrested now. Co-chair, MPs, mayors and elected politicians of a political party are in this prison that you see right behind me.
“The number of arrested politicians shows the state of democracy in Turkey now. Journalists, artists and people in bad health are in prison. As long as this shame continues, we cannot be happy about releases.”
Referendum process
“Above all, we think that co-chairs, MPs and elected politicians of this party should be released immediately. Otherwise, the referendum process would be controversial. This is clear.
“As long as Selahattin Demirtaş, Figen Yüksekdağ and our MPs are in prison, the legitimacy of the referendum would be a matter of serious debate.”
Solitary confinement
“Another issue is that I had been in solitary confinement; it is 21st century and I, as a member of the parliament who represent the will of 80 million people, had been kept under medieval conditions. Solitary confinement is a crime against humanity, it is torture.
“Peoples of Turkey should know that we have been demanding peace, democracy and freedom and in prison, in solitary confinement, we haven't give up our demand of peace, democracy and freedom. Today, as I am released, our message is the same: peace, democracy, freedom. All the people in this country deserve them.”
