HDP leader Demirtaş meets family in prison, vows continued struggle
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The leader of the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş met members of his family in prison, where he has languished for weeks, under an intensified crackdown on opponents by the government
Demirtas, who was arrested and jailed about five weeks ago for alleged links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), vowed to continue his struggle despite the arrest, in a message carried to the public by his wife.
He met with his daughters, wife, parents and a sister on Wednesday at the Edirne Prison in northwestern Turkey where he is held.
"We are resolute in our struggle and our morale is higher than ever," Demirtaş said. "I wish you to believe this from my heart," he added addressing his supporters in the message.
He also said the HDP is the hope for all the people of Turkey, and that the current situation will be short.
The HDP co-chairs Demirtaş and Figen Yüksekdag were arrested in early November, along with a number of the party's lawmakers as part of what the Turkish government described as a counter-terrorism investigation.
Parliamentary immunity was lifted in Turkey earlier this year after a constitutional amendment was approved by parliament, allowing the Turkish state to investigate MPs for criminal or terrorist connections and prosecute accordingly.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who his critics warn is increasingly acting more and more as a dictator, ordered a sweeping crackdown on opponents following a failed coup last July.
Since then, tens of thousands of people have been detained in mass arrests or suspended or fired from their jobs, including judges, teachers and soldiers.