The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has rejected Turkey’s appeal against the ruling to release Selahattin Demirtaş. This means that the decision of July 8 is now final. At that time, the Strasbourg court had found that Demirtaş was imprisoned for political reasons and demanded his release. The Turkish government had requested that the ruling be reviewed by the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR. The court has now rejected this request.
Politically motivated imprisonment
In its judgment in July, the ECtHR ruled that the continued pre-trial detention in the so-called Kobane trial was politically motivated and violated the European Convention on Human Rights. The court accordingly demanded that the former co-chair of the HDP be released immediately.
Demirtaş was imprisoned in connection with the Kobane protests in October 2014. Dozens of people were killed in the nationwide unrest that broke out at the time against the Turkish government’s support for the terrorist militia “Islamic State” (ISIS). In a subsequent trial, Demirtaş was sentenced to a total of 42 years in prison. He has been held in the high-security prison in Edirne since 2016.
Repeated criticism by the ECtHR
In earlier proceedings, the ECtHR had classified Demirtaş’s imprisonment as a human rights violation – first in November 2018 and again in December 2020. With the complaint now rejected, the latest ruling from July 2025 is final and binding on Turkey under international law.
Reactions from politicians and Demirtaş himself
After the decision was announced, the DEM Party, the successor of the HDP, demanded the immediate release of Demirtaş and other imprisoned party members, including Figen Yüksekdağ. In a statement, the party executive said: “Taking into account all previous ECtHR rulings and, in particular, the now final decision, our friends must be released without further delay.”
Selahattin Demirtaş himself commented in a message posted on his X account. He described the ruling as “important and legally binding,” but emphasized that its real significance went beyond that: “What is crucial is our shared understanding of brotherhood; living together in equality, freedom, justice, and peace.” At the same time, he called for political and social conflicts to be resolved not with revenge or confrontation, but with reason and a view to a shared future.
Demirtaş concluded: “In the hope of free days, I send my greetings and love.”
Lawyers file appeal for Demirtaş’s immediate release
Following the ECtHR decision, lawyers announced on Tuesday that they had filed a legal appeal for Demirtaş’s immediate release.
Source: ANF News
