Demirtau015f, a former co-leader of the pro-Kurdish HDP party, has been jailed since 2016 on charges that many believe are politically motivated. The court in Ankara said it won’t act on the ECtHR decision because it hasn’t “officially come into force” yet — a claim based on a letter from Turkey’s Justice Ministry.

This same excuse was used to reject the release of Figen Yüksekdau011f, another HDP leader, and others involved in the Kobani trial.

The ECtHR has now ruled three times that Turkey is violating Demirtau015f’s rights, saying the Turkish legal system has failed to act fairly and quickly. The Turkish Bar Association has called on the government to obey the ECtHR and release Demirtau015f immediately.

The situation shows a deeper problem: while the Kurdish armed group PKK recently held a symbolic ceremony in Iraq to lay down their weapons and push for peace, President Erdou011fan’s government has done almost nothing in return. There have been no real steps toward legal reforms or Kurdish rights.

In a recent speech, Erdou011fan avoided any mention of key issues like amnesty, peace talks, or Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan. Instead, he made vague comments about a “new era” and a “terror-free Turkey.”

The pro-Kurdish DEM Party, which supports peace efforts, warned that unless former PKK fighters are promised safety and legal protections, real progress won’t happen. “If they risk being arrested, they won’t return,” said DEM Party co-chair Tülay Hatimou011fullaru0131.

Despite the talk of peace, Kurdish politicians remain behind bars, raising concerns that the government is using the peace process for show, without any serious intention to change.

It’s another reminder that Turkey is still far from being a true democracy, especially when it comes to freedom of speech, fair trials, and equal rights for the Kurdish population.