A mission from the Party of European Socialists will attend the hearing of the Turkish People's Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been in jail in Turkey since November last year.

HDP is one of the associate parties of PES from Turkey.

The solidarity mission, led by PES President Sergei Stanishev, will be at the Anadolu 34th Penal Court in support of Demirtaş and all the jailed members of the Turkish parliamentary opposition.

Mr Stanishev and other delegates will express their concern that there is a political motive behind those arrests.

Co-chairs of the HDP Selahattin Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdag have been in prison for almost five months now. More than 80 other MPs and representatives of the local authorities from HDP are also in custody.

Erdogan's government has scheduled a referendum for 16 April, demanding constitutional changes in Turkey that will give even more power to the President and will undermine the democratic foundations of the modern Turkish state.

Both PES member parties HDP and CHP are campaigning for a 'No' vote in the referendum. Keeping the HDP leader in jail is a strong benefit of Erdogan and his party.

When

Thursday 23 February, 10:30 Turkish time (08:30 CET)

Where

ANADOLU ADALET SARAYI
Esentepe Mah. E-5 Yan Yol Cad. No:39 Kartal / İstanbul.
Courtroom number: 34

Information and pictures from the mission will be provided accordingly tomorrow

For more information, please contact Toby Wardman
toby.wardman@pes.eu, +32 491 86 97 48