Turkey approves prison sentences for HDP’s Demirtaş, Önder

A Turkish court approved a sentence of four years and eight months in prison for former head of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtaş for spreading propaganda of an armed terrorist group.

A three-year and six month prison sentence was also approved for HDP lawmaker Sırrı Süreyya Önder.

Around a dozen HDP lawmakers are currently in prison pending trial for terrorism-related offenses after their parliamentary immunity was lifted in May 2016.

Turkey's government believes the HDP has links to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU.