The HDP, parliament’s third largest party, has 59 deputies in the Grand National Assembly. On Friday, 12 were arrested for failing to answer a court summons linked to a counter-terrorism investigation.
Nine, including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, were remanded in custody pending trial. Arrest warrants for three others remain outstanding.
Parliamentary immunity from prosecution for lawmakers facing criminal investigation was lifted earlier this year. Although it affects deputies from all four parliamentary parties it is mostly politicians from the HDP, which has been accused of ties to the PKK terrorist organization, and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) that are involved.
Most HDP politicians face charges of spreading terrorist propaganda through speeches.
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