JINHA

ANKARA – The case charging MP SebahatTuncel with "PKK membership" has moved to the Constitutional Court. Sebahat, Istanbul representative for the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), is facing eight years, nine months in jail.

Sebahat, who is Kurdish, was arrested on November 5^th, 2006 and only released ahead of the 2007 June elections. The Constitutional Court has analyzed the case against her, which charges her with membership in the PKK. Seeing Sebahat's objections as valid, the highest court in Turkey has decided to re-open the case.

Sebahat has also been paid 5,000 lira in compensation for the loss of her time due to the duration of the case.

(fk/cm)