15 international rights organisations, including the International Press Institute (IPI) and IFEX, launched a joint letter before the Council of Europe meeting on July 24-25 and made calls for Council of Europe’s President Charles Michel and the European Committee President Ursula von der Leyen. The signatories of the letter pointed out the worsening scene of human rights in Turkey after the Council’s March meeting as well as their visit in the country. The letter further pointed out to the closure case against the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) as well as the armed attack against the People’s Democratic Party (HDP) Izmir Provincial Organisation, expressing their expectations under three main categories:
1- Make an open call for the Turkish government to release all thought criminals; end the detainments of all elected politicians, lawyers and journalists; revoke all political influence on the judiciary and immediately apply the European Court of Human Rights decrees.
2- Clarify the fact that the relations between the EU and Turkey do not only depend on a dialogue regarding human rights but also mutual promises on the fulfillment of responsibilities regarding human rights.
3- Announce to Turkey that the worsening conditions of the legal system and human rights in the country will prevent a positive agenda to be proposed by the Council of Europe, including the development of the EU-Turkey Customs Union.
Here is a list of the signatory organisations:
International Press Institute (IPI)
International Observatory of Human Rights (IOHR)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
ARTICLE 19
Human Rights Watch
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO)
Amnesty International
PEN International
Academics for Peace-Germany
KulturForum Türkei-Deutschland e.V.
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Platform for Independent Journalism (P24)
English PEN
IFEX
Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI)
23.06.2021