Trial of HDP Leaders in Turkey

Early day motion 1779, tabled 27 April 2021 by Alyn Smith (Scottish National Party). Signed by 9 members.

That this House regrets the erosion of democracy which has taken place under President Erdogan in recent years amid the arrests of elected politicians and party activists; notes its concern at recent reports that lawyers defending HDP politicians against charges which include attacking the integrity of the state have been denied access to the courtroom on arbitrary and unlawful grounds; further notes that the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the pre-trial detention of Selahattin Demirtas and other Turkish citizens is unlawful and calls for their immediate release; recognises that the arrest of HDP parliamentarians is also an attack on the democratic rights of more than six million citizens of Turkey who voted for those parliamentarians; commends the work being done by the HDP in attempting democratic steps towards a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish question; and calls for the immediate release of those arrested and for the restoration of full democratic and civil rights for all people in Turkey.

Signatures by party: Plaid Cymru 3, Labour 2, DUP 1, Independent 1, Labour/Co-operative 1, Scottish National Party 1.