Opposition HDP senior official sent to jail in Turkey

By Aziz Aslan

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

A court in southeastern Diyarbakir province sent a senior official of the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) to jail pending trial on terrorism-related charges on Wednesday evening, according to a judicial source.

Aysel Tugluk had been detained in Ankara on Monday as part of an anti-terror investigation carried out by the Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

Tugluk was among five detainees charged with "being a member of an armed terrorist group" and "managing an armed terrorist group", the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on talking to the media, said.

Last month, 13 HDP lawmakers were arrested, 10 of whom, including HDP Co-Chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, remain in custody awaiting trial on terrorism-related charges.

The lawmakers face prosecution under anti-terrorism legislation after their parliamentary immunity was lifted earlier this year.

The government has accused the HDP of having links to the PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S., and EU.