The Turkish media on Monday reported that more than 70 militants of the Hizbullah terrorist group were released from prison based on a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
According to the reports, the ECtHR ruled that Turkey had violated the right to fair trial of a Hizbullah militant, who was tried by the now-closed State Security Courts in Diyarbakır and subjected to torture during interrogation.
In 2011 some high-ranking Hizbullah militants were released after the enactment of a new regulation that shortened the upper limit for pre-trial detentions, although they were given life sentences by the local court.
After their release from prison pending trial, the militants reportedly fled Turkey.
Well-organized in the predominantly Kurdish southeastern region of Turkey, Hizbullah was responsible for the assassination of former Diyarbakır Police Chief Gaffar Okkan in 2001.
The terrorist group is also accused of brutally killing 188 civilians during the 1990s.
As Hizbullah has “bad blood” with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist group, some experts claim that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has secretly been supporting Hizbullah.
In the Southeast, the Free Cause Party (HÜDAPAR), a political party that allegedly has ties with Hizbullah, supported AKP candidates in the June 24 general election.