HDP launches 'justice watch' at Turkish Constitutional Court

The Kurdish issue-focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has initiated a "conscience and justice watch" in front of the Constitutional Court in Ankara, demanding the start of a belated trial process for the party's jailed co-chair and other deputies.

Speaking to reporters outside the court on Sept. 5, HDP spokesperson Osman Baydemir said the hearing in which party co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş is being tried under arrest has not yet been held, despite Demirtaş being in jail for over 300 days.

Baydemir also said the HDP deputies are being "illegally held hostage upon the order of the government." 

"The will of 6.5 million people [who voted for the HDP] and their right to vote and stand for election have been seized unconstitutionally. We are here today to end this seizure and injustice," he said, accompanied by HDP Deputy Group Chair Ahmet Yıldırım and MPs Dirayet Taşdemir, Meral Danış Beştaş and Garo Paylan.

"Late justice is not justice. Delaying justice amounts to intervening in the judiciary," Baydemir said, demanding an urgent decision from the court over the continued arrest of the jailed party figures.

The HDP delegation also demanded a meeting with Constitutional Court head Zühtü Arslan before starting their watch at the court.