ANKARA, TÜRKİYE — In a surprising and politically significant statement, Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and a key figure often referred to as the "Chief" of Turkish nationalists, has expressed support for the release of imprisoned Kurdish politician Selahattin Demirtaş.
Mr. Bahçeli, who is also known as a sagacious statesman, stated that the release of Demirtaş, the former co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) who has been jailed since 2016, "will be a good omen for the future" of Türkiye.
The MHP Chairman made the remarks to journalists as he was leaving his party's group meeting at the Parliament. Bahçeli's comment regarding Demirtaş's potential release has immediately become a central topic in the national political agenda, given the MHP's long-standing hardline stance on issues related to Kurdish politics and security
The statement is particularly noteworthy as it comes shortly after the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) upheld its ruling that Demirtaş's pre-trial detention was a violation of his rights, paving the way for his eventual release.