in jailSincan (Turkey), Dec 7 (AFP) A Turkish court todayordered the co-leader of the main pro-Kurdish opposition partyto remain in custody after over a year behind bars, as hisnon-appearance in court angered supporters.
Selahattin Demirtas of the Peoples' Democratic Party(HDP) went on trial in Ankara on charges of links to outlawedKurdish rebels, claims his party says are politicallymotivated.
But Demirtas was not present as trial got under way atthe Sincan prison complex in Ankara province, in what hisparty said was a delibate bid to silence the charismaticpolitician.
The judge said he refused to appear via video link. Thecourt ruled he had to stay in jail and set the date for thenext hearing as February 14.
Demirtas was first detained in November last year in acrackdown under the state of emergency that followed the 2016failed coup.
Before his arrest Demirtas was considered one ofPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan's major rivals, a silky oratorwho has succeeded in bringing his party from the fringe intothe political mainstream.
Demirtas, 44, is charged with "managing a terrororganisation", "making propaganda for a terror group" and"inciting criminal acts" among other accusations.
He faces up to 142 years in prison if convicted. (AFP)NSA.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.