ANKARA - Supreme Court Chief Public Prosecutor Bekir Şahin cited the families sitting in front of the party's Diyarbakır provincial building as evidence in his oral defense of the HDP's closure.

 

In the closure case against the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme Court Bekir Şahin gave his oral defense to the Constitutional Court delegation. Bekir Şahin's oral defense to the Supreme Court in the Supreme Court Hall lasted 45 minutes.

 

Making a statement at the AYM exit after the defense, Şahin claimed that the HDP's ties with the PKK were a fact. Şahin cited the families sitting in front of the HDP Diyarbakır Provincial Organization building as evidence in the closure case. Şahin stated that they presented all their evidence regarding the closure of the HDP, and that the decision to be closed is the decision of the Supreme Court.

 

HOW WILL THE CLOSURE CASE GO FORWARD?

 

During the closure case, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals can present additional evidence to the case file, and HDP can present additional defense. The HDP submitted its main defense regarding the opinion of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Supreme Court of Appeals to the Constitutional Court. After the oral statement of the Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Public Prosecutor Bekir Şahin, HDP officials will also make an oral defense on a day to be determined.

 

After this process, the Constitutional Court rapporteur, who will collect information and documents related to the case, will prepare his report on the merits. While these proceedings continue, the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor of the Supreme Court and the defendant HDP will be able to submit additional evidence or additional written defense.

 

2 out of 3 MAJORITY WILL DECIDE

 

After the report is distributed to the members of the Supreme Court, the President of the Constitutional Court, Zühtü Arslan, will set a date for the meeting, and the members will come together on the designated day and begin to discuss the closure request. The Constitutional Court committee consisting of 15 people will decide the closure case against the HDP. It can be decided by 2/3 majority of the members attending the meeting, 10 out of 15 members, that the party be dissolved due to the situations listed in Article 69 of the Constitution or that the party be partially or completely deprived of state aid depending on the gravity of the acts in question.

 

THE DECISION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE

 

The decision rendered as a result of the political party closure case will be notified to the Supreme Court Chief Public Prosecutor and HDP and will be published in the Official Gazette. In the event that the Constitutional Court determines that the party members whose political ban is requested caused the closure of the party with their statements and actions, these persons will not be able to be the founder, member, manager and supervisor of another party for 5 years, starting from the publication of the final decision with justification in the Official Gazette.