Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-chairs Pervin Buldan and Sezai Temelli released a statement about the decision of the Ankara 19th Heavy Criminal Court that yesterday reviewed the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights issued 10 days ago, which included the immediate release of former co-chair and presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş.

The court board did not implement the ECHR judgment and decided to continue the pre-trial detention.

HDP stated that this is clearly a violation of the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights.

The statement by HDP co-chairs said:

“We would like to state once again that the expression "he should be immediately released" in the ECHR ruling is a final judgment that the local court must implement immediately in accordance with Article 90 of the Constitution and Article 46 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ankara 19th High Criminal Court has taken this decision for purely political reasons, and under the pressure of President Erdoğan and the government. The court has made a decision not for judicial, but for political reasons, just as in the arrest of Mr. Demirtaş and other deputies.

To claim that the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights is not final, and to ask this issue to the Ministry of Justice in written, are irrational and unlawful steps taken to gain time. This is a maneuver to ensure, during this gained time, the approval of the decision against Demirtaş pending at the Court of Appeal.

The judiciary has once again involved in politics, it did act under the pressure of the government, and the court made an unfair decision whose responsibility is big.”