President of PES (Party of European Socialists)Sergei Stanishev made a press statement today in front of the Istanbul Courthouse where one of the hearings of HDP (Peoples' Democratic Party) Co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş is being held today. Demirtaş will attend the hearing through video call from Edirne F Type Prison.

PES Presidient Sergei Stanishev, Sweden Left Party President Jonas Sjöstedt and the accompanying delegation are observing the hearing.

PES President Sergeit Stanishev said the followings in the press statement outside the courthouse before the hearing began:

“You can see we are in front of the court house in the mission of the solidarity on behalf of the Party of European Socialists representing all socialists party in Europe. It’s a mission of solidarity with Selahattin Demirtaş, the co-leader of the HDP. It’s very clear for all of us for European Socialists that it is a political trial. Because the co leaders, Demirtaş and Yüksekdağ, they did nothing wrong but defending their voters, doing politics in a democratic country.

It’s so regretful that the court proceeds with these ridiculous accusations. They are simply following the will of President Erdoğan. And I can tell you that the PES, all social democratic family, European Parliament would be following this process as well as the processes and the accusations about Demirtaş and other HDP MPs. Because we are friends of Turkey. We want to see Turkey is democratic with more systems of checks and balances.

We all know that in the middle of the April there will be a referendum for constitutional changes. And we know that the Turkish society is deeply divided regarding this matter cause many people and parties have concerns about the fact that the too much power in a one man hand is dangerous for the democracy. Then you don’t have the systems of checks and balances, mechanisms to protect the society from the one man’s mistakes.

I’m aware that the HDP is having a very active campaign against these changes. And it’s so convenient for Mr Erdoğan to have one of the leading figures of the opposition in prison with such ridiculous accusations. We are fully aware that both parties from Turkey, the HDP and CHP, are campaigning for ‘NO’. The European Social Democratic and Progressive Movement is standing behind them. We shall further be actively and political involved in Turkey. Because as friends, as neighbors, as partners we want to see Turkey peaceful and democratic.”