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HDP's Selahattin Demirtas jailed alongside colleague for 'terrorist propaganda'

FORMER Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) co-leader Selahattin Demirtas and former HDP member of parliament Sirri Sureyya Onder were convicted in Turkey today on charges of “making propaganda for a terrorist organisation.”

An Istanbul court handed down four years and eight months in prison to Mr Demirtas and three years and six months to Mr Onder over a public speech they delivered in Newroz celebrations in 2013.

They were accused of having produced propaganda for the illegal PKK.

The former HDP leader was arrested in November 2016 in another case in which he is currently being tried over “being a member of a terrorist organisation.”

He faces more than 30 charges, mostly relating to terror propaganda in his public speeches.

Participating in the hearing via an audio-visual system, Mr Demirtas demanded that the case be adjourned to let him prepare a defence, but the court rejected this.

He condemned the court for “not being independent,” accusing it of political bias.

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