Turkish Supreme Board of Elections (YSK) ruled that HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) presidential candidate, Selahattin Demirtaş cannot join election rallies in Istanbul, Antep, İzmir and Mardin despite the relevant election regional committees (linked to the main YSK) had ruled that he could actually participate.

An application was made on behalf of the HDP presidential candidate asking permission for him to join the rallies in Istanbul, Antep, Izmir and Mardin either in person or via video connection, given that Demirtaş is in Edirne prison.

The regional election committees granted permission and HDP lawyers then filed a petition to the Turkish Supreme Board of Elections and the Ministry of Justice, to ensure the participation was confirmed.

In the petition, the lawyers pointed out that Demirtaş has been denied his right to carry out election campaign on an equal basis with the other candidates, as stated in Articles 49 and 50 of Law 298.

For this reason, it was requested that Demirtaş participates in Istanbul, Antep, İzmir and Mardin rallies personally or via video connection.

The YSK ruled to reject the application going against the previous rule given by regional election committees. In its reasoning the YSK, acknowledging the right to equal opportunity for campaigning stated in law 298, said that it was not possible to actually use the mentioned propaganda opportunity with this method.