The opposition leader in Turkey has been sentenced to 42 years in prison.

A Turkish court has handed down a 42-year prison sentence to Selahattin Demirtas, the pro-Kurdish opposition leader, for his involvement in inciting violent protests related to the Syrian conflict. Additionally, numerous political associates of Demirtas have been incarcerated.

Reportedly, Demirtas faces a total of 47 charges, including conspiracy, provocation of violence, disruption of national unity, and dissemination of propaganda on behalf of a terrorist organization. At 51 years old, if unsuccessful in appealing the verdict, Demirtas is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Demirtas was among the 108 individuals implicated in the "Kobane Trial," focusing on events in the Syrian city of Kobane in 2014. During the trial, Demirtas accused Turkish forces of passivity while Kurdish militants and Islamic State (IS) fighters clashed for control of the city. He further alleged that Turkish troops obstructed Kurdish escape attempts during the siege.

As the leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Demirtas urged demonstrations in predominantly Kurdish regions of southern Turkey. The protests quickly escalated into violence, resulting in 37 fatalities and hundreds of injuries. Two months prior to the unrest, Demirtas had secured third place in Turkey’s presidential election. He later contested President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the presidency once more in 2018, conducting his campaign from prison.

Out of the 108 individuals accused of organizing or participating in the protests, 18 were incarcerated on Thursday. Charges against another 12 were dismissed, while 18 were released pending further court proceedings, and 72 remain at large. Former HDP co-leader Figen Yuksekdag received a 32-year sentence on similar charges to those faced by Demirtas.

In his testimony last year, Demirtas labeled the case as “political vengeance,” and characterized his alleged accomplices as “political hostages.” The European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly called for his release.

Conversely, Ankara perceives the HDP as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the US, and the EU. The PKK has been engaged in an insurgency against the Turkish state since the 1980s, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.

Legal proceedings are currently underway in Ankara to outlaw the HDP and to prohibit more than 450 of its members from political activities. Despite criticism from human rights organizations, Turkish prosecutor Bekir Sahin asserted in 2021 that dissolving the party was imperative due to its involvement in “activities aimed at undermining and dismantling the inseparable unity of the state.”