Written declaration No. 616 | Doc. 14166 | 11 October 2016

The developments in Turkey

Signatories: Mr Tobias BILLSTRÖM, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Tasmina AHMED-SHEIKH, United Kingdom, NR ; Ms Theodora BAKOYANNIS, Greece, EPP/CD ; Mr Piet De BRUYN, Belgium, NR ; Mr Samvel FARMANYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Ms Doris FIALA, Switzerland, ALDE ; Mr Rainer GOPP, Liechtenstein, ALDE ; Mr Jonas GUNNARSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Ms Gabriela HEINRICH, Germany, SOC ; Ms Naira KARAPETYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Niklas KARLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Luís LEITE RAMOS, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Mr Mikayel MELKUMYAN, Armenia, EC ; Ms Hermine NAGHDALYAN, Armenia, EC ; Mr Johan NISSINEN, Sweden, NR ; Ms Julia OBERMEIER, Germany, EPP/CD ; Ms Carina OHLSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Armen RUSTAMYAN, Armenia, SOC ; Mr Alex SALMOND, United Kingdom, NR ; Ms Ulla SANDBÆK, Denmark, UEL ; Mr Mher SHAHGELDYAN, Armenia, EPP/CD ; Mr Adão SILVA, Portugal, EPP/CD ; Ms Petra De SUTTER, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Markus WIECHEL, Sweden, NR ; Ms Naira ZOHRABYAN, Armenia, EC ; Mr Levon ZOURABIAN, Armenia, ALDE

This written declaration commits only those who have signed it.

The developments in Turkey are extremely worrying and call for a coherent response from the Council of Europe. After the attempted military coup d’Etat on the night between 15 and 16 July, President Tayyip Erdoğan has committed himself to a policy which contains several elements with potentially grave consequences for the rights of citizens of Turkey provided for in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

The decision by the President of Turkey on 20 July to use his powers and declare a State of Emergency whereby the aforementioned Convention is suspended for three months is a decision pregnant with threats. We view with great concern the arbitrary way in which many categories of officials are suspended in their capacities and we call for actions of the Turkish State guaranteeing legal safety in all cases where such decisions have been made.

Finally, we demand that Turkey, as a member State of the Council of Europe, accepts its responsibilities with regard to the Convention and that the Government and its authorities recognise the implicit right of the Council of Europe to carry out its work in monitoring its members in a free and unhindered manner.