Turkish court releases opposition deputy pending trial

By Aziz Aslan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

A court in southeastern Diyarbakir province released on Friday a female lawmaker of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) who was earlier remanded in custody on terrorism charges.

Meral Danis Bestas, the party’s deputy for southern Adana province, was remanded in custody for "being a member of an armed terrorist organization" in Diyarbakir in January this year.

Her arrest was part of a terror probe by Diyarbakir’s Prosecutor's Office, which asked for her to be jailed for between eight and 23 years.

The 8th High Criminal Court in Diyarbakir released Bestas pending trial.

Thirteen HDP lawmakers were arrested last November, 10 of whom, including co-leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, remain in custody awaiting trial on terrorism-related charges.

The lawmakers are facing prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted.

The government has accused the HDP of being linked to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and the EU.