HDP Co-President Figen Yüksekdağ, who has been prosecuted for an interview she gave to the German newspaper Deutsche Welle, refused to make her defense against the allegations and said "We will use the freedom of speech and politics."
The prosecution of HDP Co-President Figen Yüksekdağ for the interview she gave to Deutsche Welle continued in the Ankara 13th High Criminal Court today.
Accused of "propagating for a terrorist organization," Yüksedağ joined the hearing from the Kocaeli F Type Prison, where she’s imprisoned, through Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).
Yüksekdağ noted that she was not allowed to have the presence of a lawyer during the hearing, and recalled that she is the Co-President of the HDP; the third biggest party in the Turkish parliament. Yüksekdağ said "I am a politician, I expressed my views. I did what I had to do. We will use our freedom of speech and politics, I stand behind what I said."
Yüksekdağ emphasized that the courts are under the influence of the government, and that she would not defend herself but her lawyers would present her detailed defense to the court.
The court decided that Yüksekdağ will be exempted from hearings, and postponed the hearing to December 22.
HDP Co-President Figen Yüksekdağ had been detained at her house in Ankara on November 4, arrested in Amed, and sent to Kocaeli Type F Prison.
8 HDP parliamentarians and HDP Co-President Selahattin Demirtaş were also arrested alongside Yüksekdağ.
