Two opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputies
have met the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats
(S&D) Group president in the European Parliament Monday despite
the fact that the duo are wanted in Turkey on terrorism
charges.
The fugitives, HDP Van deputy Tugba Hezer Ozturk and HDP Sirnak
deputy Faysal Sariyildiz, were received by the S&D President,
Gianni Pittella, in Brussels.
Pitella later shared a photograph of the meeting on his official
Twitter account. The photo also shows HDP’s Europe representative
Eyup Doru, for whom Turkey issued a red notice for his terrorist
acts.
The HDP has 59 deputies in Turkey’s Grand National Assembly. On
Friday, 12 HDP deputies were arrested for failing to answer a court
summons linked to a counter-terrorism investigation.
Nine, including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen
Yuksekdag, were remanded in custody pending trial.
Parliamentary immunity from prosecution for lawmakers facing
criminal investigation was lifted earlier this year. Although it
affects deputies from all four parliamentary parties, it is mostly
politicians from the HDP, which has been accused of ties to the PKK
terrorist organization, and the main opposition Republican People’s
Party (CHP) that are involved.
Most HDP politicians face charges of spreading terrorist
propaganda through speeches.