Demirtaş' lawyers applied to European Court of Human Rights

The application states HDP presidential candidate was denied equal and just possibilities to run his campaign

Lawyers for the HDP Presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş held as a political hostage in Edirne prison, applied to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Lawyers Mahsuni Karaman, Benan Molu and Ramazan Demir have made their application after the decision of the Turkish court to reject their request to release Demirtaş in order to allow him to run his election campaign. 

In the application to the European Court of Human Right, the lawyers argued that in fact Demirtaş' rights as established in the European Convention on Human Rights have been denied.

Lawyer Karaman reminded that the applicantion to release the HDP presidential candidate were rejected by the Ankara 19th and 20th High Criminal Courts, and added: "We have appealed to the Constitutional Court (AYM) on this. However, the AYM did not take any decision and in fact kept the file silent during the election." 

The lawyer confirmed that on Tuesday thet have applied to the European Court of Human Rights on the grounds that the "Demirtaş was denied freedom of expression and security, right to freedom of expression, right to free election, violations of the principles stated in the Convention."