CONTROVERSIA
Portrait of Selahattin Demirtaş

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Born in Turkey · Nationality Turkish — Politics / institutions

Selahattin Demirtaş

Politics and government

Documented profile covering 9 controversies, including “Prolonged detention: repeated violations found by ECHR and calls for release” and “Kobané trial: 42-year prison sentence in 2024 in contested mass trial”.

Are you concerned? Right of reply

Profile No. 0426 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Selahattin Demirtaş

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
9Documented controversies
20Sources
4Formal charges · all time1 pending · 1 followed by a conviction · 2 closed without conviction
3Convictions

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

01

2016-2026

Prolonged detention: repeated violations found by ECHR and calls for release

No legal proceedings

Detained since November 2016, Selahattin Demirtaş has obtained several favourable rulings from the European Court of Human Rights. The Grand Chamber notably ordered his release in 2020, and a further decision in 2025 found violations relating to his detention; in 2026, enforcement of these judgments remained a major political and judicial issue.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 3

  1. [1]
    ReutersEuropean Court of Human Rights says Turkey must free DemirtasMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    European Court of Human RightsJudgment concerning Türkiye - DemirtaşCourt recordPrimary source
  3. [3]
    Diyarbakır BarosuAİHM kararı uygulansınPrimary source

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

02

2026

New conviction for "insulting the president" over 2015 remarks

Conviction

On 6 January 2026, a court in Mersin sentenced Demirtaş to one year, five months and fifteen days' imprisonment for statements made in 2015 and classified as insulting Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    DW TürkçeSelahattin Demirtaş'a 1 yıl beş ay 15 gün hapis cezası dahaMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    BianetDemirtaş sentenced to prison for 'insulting the president'MediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

03

2021-2025

2021 conviction for insulting Erdoğan overturned by Court of Cassation in 2025

Formally charged

In 2021, a court sentenced Demirtaş to three years and six months for insulting the president. In 2025, the Court of Cassation overturned the decision so that an issue concerning parliamentary immunity from liability could be reconsidered.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Personally implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Anadolu AjansıDemirtaş'a Cumhurbaşkanına hakaret suçundan hapis cezasıMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Gerçek Gündem / DHAYargıtay kararının ardından Selahattin Demirtaş'ın davası ertelendiMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

Case · 2 documented stages

Kobané trial: 42-year prison sentence in 2024 in contested mass trial

Conviction (not final)
04

2024

Kobané trial: 42-year prison sentence in 2024 in contested mass trial

Conviction (not final)

In May 2024, an Ankara court sentenced Demirtaş to 42 years' imprisonment in the extensive trial linked to the 2014 Kobané protests. The judgment covered several offences in proceedings involving numerous former HDP officials.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 3

  1. [1]
    ReutersTurkey convicts former pro-Kurdish party officials over 2014 Kobani protestsMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Human Rights WatchTürkiye: Kurdish Politicians Convicted in Unjust Mass TrialNGOHigh reliability
  3. [3]
    Anadolu AjansıKobani bahanesiyle düzenlenen eylemlere ilişkin davada hüküm açıklandıMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

09

2016

Arrest and detention in November 2016 following lifting of immunity

Formally charged

On 4 November 2016, Demirtaş, then HDP co-chair, was arrested at home and remanded in custody in connection with several investigations involving, among other matters, terrorism-related allegations and the events of 6-8 October.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Anadolu AjansıSelahattin Demirtaş Diyarbakır'daki evinde gözaltına alındıMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Anadolu AjansıHDP eş başkanları tutuklandıMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

05

2021-2024

Prosecutor "targeting" case: 2021 conviction followed by acquittal on appeal in 2024

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Demirtaş had been sentenced to two years and six months in 2021 for allegedly targeting a prosecutor in public statements. An appeal court ultimately acquitted him in 2024.

Attribution
Personally implicated
Course of the proceedings
  1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Anadolu AjansıBaşsavcıyı hedef gösteren Selahattin Demirtaş'a hapis cezasıMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    DW TürkçeSelahattin Demirtaş'a hedef gösterme davasında beraatMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

06

2012; réévalué en 2022

2012 speech on "President Apo's statue": enduring controversy surrounding Abdullah Öcalan

No legal proceedings

During a speech in 2012, Demirtaş stated that a statue of "President Apo", Abdullah Öcalan, would be erected, wording that became one of his most controversial statements and was repeatedly used against him.

State of the evidence
Documented
Legal status — source text
Not applicable
Attribution
Personally implicated

Sources · 3

  1. [1]
    DünyaDemirtaş: Öcalan'ın heykelini dikeceğizMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    T24Demirtaş: Öcalan'ın heykelini dikeceğizMediaHigh reliability
  3. [3]
    CumhuriyetDemirtaş'tan yıllar sonra gelen değerlendirmeMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

07

2018

2018 conviction for terrorist propaganda following Newroz speech

Conviction

In September 2018, Demirtaş was sentenced to four years and eight months' imprisonment for propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organisation arising from a speech at Newroz in 2013; the conviction was subsequently upheld on appeal.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Reuters / EuronewsFormer head of Turkey pro-Kurdish party sentenced for terrorist propagandaMediaHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Anadolu AjansıDemirtaş ve Önder'in cezaları onandıMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

08

2018

Acquittal in trial for insulting Süleyman Soylu

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Demirtaş was tried over remarks made in 2015 about Süleyman Soylu amid allegations of electoral fraud. He was acquitted in January 2018.

Legal status — source text
Acquitted / conviction overturned
Attribution
Personally implicated
Course of the proceedings
  1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    BianetDemirtaş Bakan Soylu'ya Hakaret Davasında Beraat EttiMediaHigh reliability

Last verified: 20 August 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (4)
  1. Cem Yılmaz1 documented reference
  2. Devlet Bahçeli1 documented reference
  3. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan1 documented reference
  4. Süleyman Soylu1 documented reference

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

Update request

Selahattin Demirtaş

Say which controversy is concerned and, if possible, give a source. Between 10 and 2,500 characters.

0 / 2500

To prevent abuse, the approximate location of your connection is recorded with your request.

iPhone and iPad

Install Controversia

  1. Tap Share
  2. then Add to Home Screen

Tap Share, then Add to Home Screen.