A Turkish court has handed down sentences ranging from nine to 42 years in prison to several pro-Kurdish politicians in connection with deadly riots that occurred in 2014. The clashes, which took place over three days in October 2014, resulted in 37 deaths and numerous injuries, both among police officers and civilians. The protests were sparked by Kurdish frustration over what they perceived as Turkish government inaction against Islamic State group militants besieging the Syrian border town of Kobani.
A total of 108 individuals were charged with various crimes related to the riots, including the killings of the victims and offenses against the state's integrity. Among the defendants were former leaders of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, who were accused of organizing the protests and inciting violence.
Critics have labeled the trial as politically motivated, part of a broader government crackdown on the pro-Kurdish party. Of the defendants, 18 were jailed, 18 were released pending the verdict, and 72 remain at large. The court convicted Demirtas of 47 charges, sentencing him to 42 years in prison, while Yuksekdag received a 30-year sentence for various offenses.
Twelve defendants were acquitted, and those still at large will face trial at a later date. The convicted politicians are expected to appeal the verdicts. The trial was marked by a tense atmosphere, with lawyers protesting the outcomes.
The current co-leader of the pro-Kurdish movement described the verdicts as a “black stain” on the Turkish justice system. Authorities have imposed a ban on demonstrations in Kurdish provinces in anticipation of protests against the sentences.
The Turkish government has accused the HDP of having ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU. The government alleges that HDP leaders received instructions from the PKK to incite the riots.
Over the years, the government has taken various measures against the pro-Kurdish political movement, including stripping legislators of their parliamentary seats and removing elected mayors from office. Several HDP lawmakers have been jailed on terror-related charges. The party has since rebranded itself as the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) and remains the third-largest grouping in Turkey’s parliament.
