Rebecca Harms, Green Member of the European Parliament and expert on Turkey, comments:
"I am very happy for my friend and colleague Selahattin Demirtaş that the European Court of Human Rights gave this long-awaited and long overdue judgement.Finally, the highest European court has confirmed that Selahattin Demirtaş' pre-trial detention is politically motivated and that he must be released immediately. The procedure against Demirtaş as well as the incarceration of so many elected politicians serves President Erdoğan for the weakening and intimidation of the opposition. Therefore this judgement gives also hope to numerous other political prisoners in Turkey.
I call again onto the EU and its Member States to use all their weight, including their economic weight, to press for the release of all unlawfully detained persons in Turkey and to urge President Erdoğan to return to the rule of law.
Vice-President Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn must also ask for the immediate implementation of the verdict, hence the immediate release of Selahattin Demirtaş during their High-Political Dialogue Meeting in Turkey on Thursday."
