STRONG CONDEMNATION OF POLITICAL ATTACKS ON OPPOSITION FORCES, DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY
The Group of Socialists, Democrats and Greens within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, gather unanimously their voices against the crackdown on opposition forces and democracy in Turkey. The stripping of HDP member Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu’s Member of Parliament status, because of a social media post he made 5 years ago, already provoked the condemnation from the international community. According to the statement of PACE co-rapporteurs for the monitoring of Turkey “it is another blow which undermines parliamentary rights and immunity in Turkey”.
Immediately following this development, the launching of the Turkish chief prosecutor to ban the HDP, the third largest party represented in the National Assembly, based on the allegation of seeking to “destroy and eliminate the indivisible integrity of the Turkish state” is a direct assault of democracy and undermines the will of millions of Turkish citizens.
A national parliament represents the heart of democracy, where all people’s voices can be heard, defended, and supported. The dissolution of a political party tears away the cornerstone of democracy, fragilizes it and paves the way for authoritarianism. The regime of President Erdoğan has been and continues to be offensive towards all principles and standards the Council of Europe stands for.
We urge the Turkish authorities:
- to cease its acts of intimidation against opposition
- to comply with the obligations enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights
- to abide by the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights to immediately release Osman Kavala and Selahattin Demirtaş
- to implement the recommendations of the Venice Commission and GRECO and proceed to the fundamental reforms that would ensure the independence of the judiciary
The Socialists, Democrats and Greens join their voices with the international community and strongly condemn the provocative violations of rule of law and democracy by the Turkish authorities. We stand by the critical voices of millions of Turkish citizens, present our full solidarity, and reassure them that their voices will not be silenced.
Strasbourg, 19th March 2021
