Turkish Supreme Court releases former HDP member Hüda Kaya from detention, imposes travel restriction

ANKARA — On Tuesday, the Turkish Supreme Court ordered former Peoples’ Democratic Party (Halkların Demokratik Partisi, HDP) member Hüda Kaya released from her 10-year-long pretrial detention, with the condition that she remains within the country.

Kaya was arrested in 2014 during demonstrations against the government’s passivity as the Syrian town Kobani was being attacked by the Islamic State (ISIS).

The initial hearing of the case took place in Ankara, involving Kaya along with former HDP legislators Serpil Kemalbey, Pero Dündar, Fatma Kurtulan, and Garo Baylan.

During protests, the Peoples’ Democratic Party advocated for the creation of a corridor to facilitate military aid to the city.

The successor party of the HDP, which was forced to close by the Turkish state, the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (Halkların Eşitlik ve Demokrasi Partisi, DEM Party) announced that they will persist in their efforts until all their comrades, including Hüda Kaya, are freed.