ERBIL - A court in Turkey has issued a release verdict for the former leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas, an attorney said on Monday.

The verdict was issued by Ankara 19th Heavy Penal Court on Monday, Ramazan Aydemir, an attorney for Demirtas, said in a statement.

However, Demirtas is yet to be freed from jail, Aydemir said, pointing out that the Istanbul Regional Court of Justice had already approved a 4-year and 8-month imprisonment for the former HDP leader which was issued by Istanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court in December, last year.

Demirtas has been in jail since November, 2016, facing charges of "separatism and terrorism" over speeches and "insults to the President."

BasNews