Two jailed Kurdish lawmakers released by Diyarbakır court following top court’s ruling

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency – 3-1-2014 – Two jailed Kurdish lawmakers who were detained as part of the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK) trial were released Jan. 3, a day after the Constitutional Court ruled in favor of their individual complaints.

The two deputies, İbrahim Ayhan and Gülser Yıldırım of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), were released upon a prosecutor’s request based on the top court’s ruling. The Constitutional Court has ruled in favor of the complaint filed by both lawmakers Jan. 2 on the grounds that their detention violated the rights of an elected person and was excessive in duration. Both lawmakers were under custody since 2010.

The individual applications of three other jailed deputies – Selma Irmak and Faysal Sarıyıldız from the BDP, as well as BDP-supported independent deputy Kemal Aktaş – are awaiting a decision.  The court also accepted compensation demands, ordering the payment of 3,000 Turkish Liras in emotional damages to both lawmakers. Last month Republican People’s Party (CHP) lawmaker Mustafa Balbay was freed after the top court ruled that his conviction violated the rights of an elected person and their electors. Balbay was sentenced to 34 years and eight months in prison at the Ergenekon trial. – http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/two-jailed-kurdish-lawmakers-released-by-diyarbakir-court-following-top-courts-ruling.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60527&NewsCatID=338