The Ankara 22nd Heavy Penal Court has sentenced Selahattin Demirtaş, a Kurdish writer and former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), to 42 years in prison. The charges, which have been widely criticised as baseless and politically motivated, include ‘aiding in undermining the unity and integrity of the state,’ ‘incitement to commit a crime,’ and ‘making terrorist propaganda.’
Global reaction: literary and human rights communities rally for justice
This sentence comes despite the European Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) previous rulings that Demirtaş should be released immediately, a directive that the Turkish authorities have consistently ignored. Comma Press, a UK-based publisher, voiced its outrage, stating, “Comma Press utterly condemns the barbaric sentencing of Kurdish writer Selahattin Demirtaş… despite the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling for his immediate release.” They pointed out the ongoing injustice as Demirtaş has been detained for over seven years, “kept from his family and loved ones, and denied fair legal representation.”
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PEN International also denounced the decision. Burhan Sonmez, President of PEN International, condemned the “shocking sentencing,” stressing that the “verdict is yet another tragedy for the rule of law in Türkiye. We will continue to stand alongside Demirtaş and all unfairly imprisoned writers until they are free.” PEN International’s Head of Europe and Central Asia Region Aurélia Dondo also reiterated the stance.
Background and impact: from protests to prosecution
Tensions contributing to this outcome include the 2014 protests in Turkey, where demonstrators, including many HDP supporters, protested against what they perceived as the Turkish Army’s failure to stop the Islamic State from taking over the Syrian town of Kobani. The Turkish government has since accused the HDP of having links to these protests, claims that the European Court of Human Rights found unsubstantiated.
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Demirtaş, born on April 10, 1973, has used his time in prison to continue his literary work. His collection of short stories, “Seher” (Dawn, 2017), written while incarcerated, became a bestseller and was translated into multiple languages. His novel “Devran” was published in 2019. More recently, Comma featured his story “My Handsome One” in the anthology “Kurdistan + 100”, depicting a narrative of a female activist who becomes the first president of an independent Kurdish state.
The global community, along with numerous cultural institutions, continues to rally for Demirtaş’s release, aligning their demands with the ECHR’s ruling. The ongoing legal proceedings against him and other HDP members have been criticised for undermining democratic processes and violating human rights within Turkey.