30.09.2025 10:00
The lawyer of the detained former co-chair of the HDP, Selahattin Demirtaş, Mahsuni Karaman, reminded of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling that violated Demirtaş's rights and pointed to October 8 as the date for the release process.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a new violation ruling for Demirtaş on July 8. Demirtaş, who has been imprisoned since November 2016, was sentenced to 42 years in prison in the Kobani case.
On July 11, the DEM Party submitted a request for the release of Demirtaş, former co-chair of the HDP Figen Yüksekdağ, and other Kobani detainees to the Ankara 22nd Heavy Criminal Court. However, the court rejected this request on July 18, citing that the ECHR ruling had not yet become final.
"THE LITMUS TEST OF THE PROCESS: OCTOBER 8"
Demirtaş's lawyer Mahsuni Karaman published a statement titled "The litmus test of the process: October 8 and Demirtaş!" on the social media platform X.
According to Karaman, the government has the right to appeal the ECHR ruling within three months. The date of October 8, 2025, when this period will expire, will determine whether the ruling becomes final and whether Demirtaş will be released.
'LIKE MHP NOT APPEALING...'
Karaman wrote:
"Although the ECHR has issued three different violation rulings regarding Mr. Demirtaş, who has been in prison since November 4, 2016, and has decided on his release, these rulings have not been implemented. These rulings are: the ECHR Chamber ruling dated November 20, 2018, the ECHR Grand Chamber ruling dated December 22, 2020, and the ECHR Chamber ruling dated July 8, 2025.
The ECHR Grand Chamber ruling dated December 22, 2020, is on the ongoing agenda of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, and calls for the enforcement of the ruling and the release of Mr. Demirtaş are made at meetings held periodically. The last violation ruling issued by the ECHR regarding his ongoing detention is dated July 8, 2025, and following this ruling, our request for release made immediately after this ruling was rejected by the Ankara 22nd Heavy Criminal Court on the grounds that;
- The ruling has not yet become final,
- The ruling pertains to Demirtaş's detention on September 20, 2019, whereas Demirtaş is no longer detained on suspicion of a crime but is detained due to a conviction.
The parties can appeal the ECHR Chamber ruling to the Grand Chamber within three months. The appeal is first examined by a five-member panel called 'Panel', and if the appeal is deemed serious, the application is sent to the Grand Chamber. If the Panel does not find the appeal worthy of sending to the Grand Chamber during its preliminary review, the Chamber ruling will become final.
It should be emphasized that the ECHR ruling regarding Mr. Demirtaş is also valid for all other politicians who have been convicted due to the events of October 6-8. As of September 24, 2025, the Kobani case has been sent to the Ankara Regional Court of Appeals 22nd Criminal Chamber for appellate review. On the other hand, if no appeal is made by the government, the last ECHR ruling will also become final on October 8, 2025.
The Appellate Chamber should immediately review the case and release Mr. Demirtaş and his friends as a matter of law. Furthermore, it is necessary and even obligatory to release the Kobani detainees as a requirement for the credibility of the ongoing and cautiously monitored peace process.
Just as it would be meaningful for the government not to appeal the ECHR ruling, which will expire on October 8, 2025, like the MHP not appealing in the Kobani case. Similar appeals have already been proven not to find a response at the ECHR by the previous ECHR Grand Chamber ruling.
It should be noted that we have a strong expectation that the Appellate Chamber will urgently review the Kobani case and issue a release decision regarding Mr. Demirtaş and his friends, both as a requirement of local and international law and to strengthen the credibility of the peace and brotherhood process.