ANKARA - "The judgment demonstrates how the Erdoğan presidency weaponizes detention and prosecution to remove opponents from the political scene and threatens free democratic debate,” says HRW's Europe and Central Asia Director Williamson.
After the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) pronounced its judgement on arrested politician Selahattin Demirtaş yesterday (December 22) and ruled that he should be released immediately, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a statement and demanded the release of "unlawfully jailed opposition politician."
HRW has said that Turkey must ensure the immediate release from detention of an opposition politician, Selahattin Demirtaş, following a European Court of Human Rights' Grand Chamber ruling on December 22.
Commenting on the judgement, Hugh Williamson, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, has stated that "the European Court of Human Rights' very strong judgment confirms that the Turkish government has kept Selahattin Demirtaş behind bars for political reasons."
"In calling for Demirtaş' immediate release, the Grand Chamber judgment also states that any failure to do so will prolong the violation of his rights and breach Turkey's obligation to implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights," Williamson has added, underlining that "the Turkish government must act without delay and cannot disregard this judgment with specious arguments that it doesn't apply to Demirtaş' current detention."
"The judgment demonstrates how the Erdogan presidency weaponizes detention and prosecution to remove opponents from the political scene and threatens free democratic debate," he has stressed further.