Former HDP deputy Demirel sentenced to 7 years and 6 months

Former HDP deputy Çağlar Demirel was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison.

Çağlar Demirel, former MP of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) who was arrested in 2015, stands trial before the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court for "being a member of an illegal organization".

Demirel's lawyers Reyhan Yalçındağ and Mesut Beştaş attended the hearing, as well as Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Saliha Aydeniz, HDP Diyarbakır Deputy Semra Güzel, HDP Diyarbakır co-chair Hülya Alökmen Uyanık and Çağlar Demirel's family.

Demirel is held in Kocaeli No. 1 F-Type Prison and her lawyers argued against the prosecutor who found it "inconvenient" for the former deputy to attend the hearing. 

Demirel's lawyer, Reyhan Yalçındağ, denounced her client was denied her right to a fair defense and that the arrest was illegal to begin with.

The court sentenced Çağlar Demirel to 7 years and 6 months' imprisonment for 'membership of an illegal organization'.