13.07.2026 13:00
Former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who has not met with Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who returned to the CHP Chairmanship with the court's absolute nullity decision, received Saadet Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan at Edirne Prison. Arıkan stated that their contacts with Demirtaş will continue and said, 'We believe that he will make very important contributions to our social consensus, solidarity, and brotherhood efforts within the framework of democratic and legitimate politics.'
Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who returned to the position of CHP Chairman with a decision of absolute nullity, had announced that he would visit former HDP Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş in prison. However, Demirtaş did not accept Kılıçdaroğlu. Twenty days after this development, Saadet Party Chairman Mahmut Arıkan visited Selahattin Demirtaş at Edirne Prison.
ARIKAN: WE DISCUSSED POLITICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES
According to a statement from the Saadet Party, Arıkan made a written statement after the visit. Stating that they met with Demirtaş at Edirne Prison and exchanged views, Arıkan said, "We had the opportunity to comprehensively evaluate the fundamental political and legal problems facing our country with him."
Mahmut Arıkan noted the following:
"We observed with pleasure that we share common opinions on the necessity of keeping the ground for dialogue alive and expanding it under all circumstances and opportunities against the climate of polarization and division into which our country is being dragged, and that a comprehensive search for consensus to end injustices is of vital importance."
"TURKEY IS TIRED OF THE LANGUAGE OF TENSION AND CONFLICT"
As politicians who think about this country and our future, we must rapidly expand our common grounds that center on justice, virtue, and dialogue. Turkey is now tired of daily sterile disputes, the language of tension and conflict. Today, it is clear that there is a greater need than ever for courageous, virtuous, and solution-oriented approaches.
Mr. Demirtaş is an important actor and political figure for our country's politics. We believe that he will make very significant contributions to our social consensus, solidarity, and brotherhood efforts within the framework of democratic and legitimate politics.
"OUR MUTUAL EXCHANGE OF VIEWS WILL CONTINUE"
On this occasion, I would like to express once again that detentions carried out for years without a final court ruling not only weaken trust in justice but also damage trust in the institution of politics. Finally, I would like to state that these humanitarian and political contacts we have established with Mr. Demirtaş, and our mutual exchanges of views, will continue in the future as well."