Turkey’s Constitutional Court has rejected an application filed by lawyers for jailed presidential candidate Selahattin Demirtaş for his release during the campaign period for upcoming elections on June 24.
His lawyers on May 29 requested a court order for Demirtaş’s immediate release after two local courts ruled for a continuation of his imprisonment.
The court’s decision referred to the request for a court order, saying that nothing necessitating an immediate release had occurred during his imprisonment.
Demirtaş’s rivals Muharrem İnce, Meral Akşener and Temel Karamollaoğlu had previously said he should be free at least during the campaign period.
However, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly called Demirtaş a “terrorist” in response to the opposition’s demand for his release.