Deputy Parliament Speaker, HDP deputy Buldan released after brief detention

HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan.

Deputy Parliament Speaker and pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Pervin Buldan was released after she was briefly detained on Monday.

Buldan was detained at a hotel where she was staying in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır on Monday evening. She was subsequently taken to the Diyarbakır Courthouse where she testified to a prosecutor as part of an investigation launched against her due to speeches she delivered in 2009 and 2011.

The HDP deputy was then released.

Speaking to reporters following her release, Buldan said: “The charges directed at me: the first one is attending March 8 [International Women’s Day event] and delivering a speech there, attending a Nevruz event and speaking there. Another one is to make a speech during the local elections campaign in 2009 in Ağrı. I committed these three crimes.”

The HDP deputy added that if these actions are considered crime, she will continue to commit them.

Turkey has stepped up its crackdown on Kurdish politicians in recent months. Trustees have been appointed to dozens of municipalities in the country’s predominantly Kurdish Southeast while Turkish courts have arrested 11 HDP deputies including the party’s co-chairs.

Turkey has also arrested dozens of local Kurdish politicians on terrorism charges.

The developments have attracted widespread criticism from the region and Western countries. (turkishminute.com) June 13, 2017

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