Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democracy Party (HDP) Deputy Caglar Demirel was given 7.5 years of prison sentence while another HDP deputy, Abdullah Zeydan was sentenced to 8 years and 1 month in jail, on Friday.
Both are accused of membership to the outlawed Kurdistan Worker’s Party (PKK).
Turkey has stepped up its crackdown on Kurdish politicians in recent months. Trustees have been appointed to dozens of municipalities in the country’s predominantly Kurdish Southeast while Turkish courts arrested many HDP deputies including the party’s co-chairs.
Turkey has also arrested dozens of local Kurdish politicians on terrorism charges. The DBP is the local affiliate of the HDP.