Despite the release having been ordered of former HDP Hakkari Member of Parliament Abdullah Zeydan, Diyarbakır Republic Chief Prosecution objected to the release order. As per the objection decision that has been granted, Zeydan’s detention will continue.
The granting of a release order in favour of former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Hakkari Member of Parliament Abdullah Zeydan, detained in Edirne F-Type Prison since 4 November 2016, was announced on attorney Mahsuni Karaman’s social media account.
Karaman posted on his Twitter account: “An order has been granted in view of a statutory amendment for the staying of the execution of the sentences against 26th term HDP Member of Parliament Abdullah Zeydan, who has been a detainee and convict in Edirne F-Type Prison since 4 November 2016, and release pending appeal.”
The application made to Diyarbakır Serious Crime Court No 5 for the staying of execution and remission of the case to appeal concerning former HDP Hakkari Member of Parliament Abdullah Zeydan made by his attorneys Mahsuni Karaman and Murat Arksak was granted.
Pursuant to the Law on Making Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure No 7188 and Certain Laws that took effect with its promulgation in the Official Gazette on 25 October, Diyarbakır Serious Crime Court No 5 ordered the staying of the execution of the three year one month and fifteen day sentence on the count of “making terrorist organization propaganda” and the five year custodial sentence on the count of “aiding and abetting a terrorist organization” against Zeydan.
An order was made for stay of execution of the sentence on the counts of “making terrorist organization propaganda” and “aiding and abetting a terrorist organization” which had been upheld by Antep Regional Court of Justice on 25 April 2018 and release, with a ban on leaving the country imposed.
With the release from prison awaited of Zeydan, who had shared a cell with former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş at Edirne F-Type Prison, Diyarbakır Republic Chief Prosecution objected to the release order. Diyarbakır Serious Crime Court No 5 granted the objection decision. Zeydan, whose release was expected as per the order, will remain in detention with the decision against him granted.
Regarding the objection decision, it was stated by Diyarbakır Serious Crime Court No 5, “It was decided to set aside with regard to the application for release the granting of the application for the stay of execution by convict Abdullah Zeydan’s defence counsel Mahsuni Karaman and attorney Murat Karaman.”
HDP parliamentarians voiced their reaction to the setting aside on objection of the release order the court had granted in favour of former HDP MP Abdullah Zeydan.
Saying, “The courts act taking instructions from the ruling party,” HDP Iğdır MP Habip Eksik commented, “We are at the final stages at which a person’s patience is tried. We do not comprehend action that is to this extent tyrannical, unconscionable, devoid of law and statute and in line with the ruling party’s instructions.” Eksik responded to the halting of Zeydan’s release through intervention by saying, “May the law rest in peace.”
HDP Istanbul MP Züleyha Gülüm also stated that the objection made against the release order was unlawful. Declaring the setting aside of the release order to be an “intervention” in democracy, Gülüm said, “The judiciary rules in accordance with the AKP’s arbitrary positions. It detains or releases in accordance with these. As far as we can ascertain, they are going to release their own cronies under the package.” (EVRENSEL DAILY)
Bülent Falakaoğlu
Hakkı Özdal
