Jailed HDP co-leader wants to address parliament through video conference

The imprisoned co-leader of the Kurdish-issue focused People's Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaş, issued a petition to the Parliamentary Speaker's Office to address his party group from prison via audio-visual information technology (SEGBİS) as a response to the Justice Ministry's defense to the top court.

"As a co-leader of the HDP, the third largest party in the parliament, and a group leader, I want to link up to our parliamentary group meeting, which is a part of parliament's legislative and auditory duties, from prison via SEGBİS; and hence, I request to address my parliamentary group," Demirtaş wrote in an official letter to the Parliamentary Speakers' Office on July 18.

"I also request all imprisoned HDP lawmakers to participate in the group meetings via SEGBİS," Demirtaş added.

His petition came after the Justice Ministry had issued their defense to the Constitutional Court after the party had appealed to the top court on Nov. 16 arguing the imprisonment of the lawmakers is a violation of their constitutional rights stemming from being elected as a lawmaker.

"The applicant is still a lawmaker and their imprisonment does not have an influence over their deputyship.

 In other words, their imprisonment does not mean foreclosure of their deputyship," wrote the defense.

"Apart from the actual circumstances as a natural consequence of being imprisoned, all their rights coming from their deputyship continues," the defense added.

The HDP argued that the ministry's defense is equivalent to stating that the HDP lawmaker' imprisonment does not stand as an obstacle for them to participate in legislative activities.

"[The ministry says] their imprisonment is not an obstacle for them to...