Turkey's Constitutional Court on Thursday turned down a request from the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) to delay an upcoming trial until after the May elections.

The party, which has been repeatedly targeted with legal action since becoming the third-biggest group in parliament in 2018, could be shut down if the court rules that it has ties to Kurdish militants.

Polls indicate that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AK Party could lose out to a coalition of opposition parties, especially if the left-leaning HDP throws its weight behind it.

HDP still hopes to run in elections

Prosecutors filed their case against HDP in March 2021 over alleged ties with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) — a group classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the US.

Earlier this month, the party asked for a deferral of the court's decision until after the elections so that it can take part.

Turkey's highest court also froze bank accounts belonging to HDP earlier in the month, blocking it from receiving state funding and hampering the election campaign.

The party is set to present its defense on March 14.

HDP says that it has been targeted for standing up for Kurdish rights and opposing the clampdown on civil freedoms by the government.

HDP supporter cooperating with opposition alliance

The HDP won 11.7% of the vote in 2018, gaining 56 of the parliament's 579 seats.

It was founded in 2012, following the banning of previous pro-Kurdish parties, and entered parliament for the first time in 2015. The following year, parliament removed immunity for lawmakers and 10 HDP members — including leaders Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yüksekdag — were arrested on numerous charges including leading a terrorist organization.

Washington has previously said that Turkey's attempt to ban the HDP would "undermine democracy."

While it has not joined the anti-AKP six-party alliance, its supporters have helped members of that alliance knock out AKP mayoral candidates in several cities.

Demirtas — from Edirne jail — has also called on the opposition parties to cooperate with HDP, Reuters reported.

ab/nm (Reuters, AFP)