In a speech on a pro-AKP television network, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan targeted Selahattin Demirtaş and admitted to giving the Supreme Board of Elections (Yüksek Seçim Kurulu - YSK) orders for him.

Erdoğan said, “Even if he’s on remand, people under arrest shouldn’t be able to run either. That is a loophole. Why would we allow that?” and said he ordered the YSK to allow Demirtaş to film the election speech in prison. Erdoğan continued to say the speech won’t be broadcast live in any case, implying that it may be censored.

Erdoğan said, “I told the YSK to go do the filming in the prison. These are not live broadcasts in any case, his speech whatever it may be can be broadcast later.”