"Mr. President, disclose facts before you're retired"

Selahattin Demirtas, imprisoned former co-chair of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), addressed the President of Turkey's Constitutional Court days before the prosecution's demand to block Turkish Treasury's funding of HDP is reviewed.

In an open letter to Zuhtu Aslan, Demirtas brought up the court's past decisions that conflicted with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), its silence in the face of Turkey's non-compliance with ECHR rulings, its continuing failure to respond to his objection to his detention, and asked him if he has a clear conscience.

Calling on Aslan to disclose facts before the end of his term, Demirtas wrote:

"Have you been under the influence and pressure of the government on any occasion, in violation of article 18 of the Constitution?

"The Court had said in response to the applications by Yuksekdag and Demirtas that there were no violations, however both decisions were rejected by ECHR who said there were in fact grave violations.

"You have remained silent for years in the face of [Turkey's] non-compliance with ECHR rulings, and you also continue to postpone your decisions regarding our applications.

"Have you been coerced, or threatened?

"Has the court been subjected to pressure regarding HDP's closure case and the blockage of Treasury's funding to HDP? Have you been under any influence, or received any threat?

"You have not responded to my application concerning my detention for three and a half years now. Have you been subjected to any pressure to indefinitely postpone issuing a decision?

"Are you aware that you have taken part in the building of the one man regime, served as an accomplice, by means of the decisions you have not yet made and the wrong decisions you have made?

"Are you aware of the damage and injustice you caused through the decisions you made and did not make in the Kavala and Gezi cases? Do you have a clear conscience? Are you able to sleep?"

Demirtas continued:

"Mr. Zuhtu Arslan, how about disclosing facts now and acting with honor, even at the last instant, instead of speaking out when you are retired?

"Mr. President, we are able to sleep comfortably here because we are innocent and we have a clear conscience.

"We do not give any of you our blessings, the blessings of millions of people, and we would like you to know that those behind judicial plots will face justice and will be called to account."