Systematic prosecution of democratic and human rights in Turkey

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15391 | 04 October 2021

Signatories:

Mr Pere LÓPEZ, Andorra, SOC ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Mr Fourat BEN CHIKHA, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Arta BILALLI ZENDELI, North Macedonia, SOC ; Ms Margreet De BOER, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Mr Constantinos EFSTATHIOU, Cyprus, SOC ; Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Sabina GLASOVAC, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Domagoj HAJDUKOVIĆ, Croatia, SOC ; Mr Andrej HUNKO, Germany, UEL ; Mr Mogens JENSEN, Denmark, SOC ; Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, France, SOC ; Ms Mai KIVELÄ, Finland, UEL ; Ms Bisera KOSTADINOVSKA-STOJCHEVSKA, North Macedonia, SOC ; Sir Tony LLOYD, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Gianni MARILOTTI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Hişyar ÖZSOY, Turkey, UEL ; Mr George PAPANDREOU, Greece, SOC ; Ms Kati PIRI, Netherlands, SOC ; Mr Paulo PISCO, Portugal, SOC ; Mr Roberto RAMPI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Feleknas UCA, Turkey, UEL

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

Several international reports have referred to a systematic prosecution of pro-Kurdish and HDP politicians in Turkey since 2015.

The political situation has become even worse and extended to other political groups and parties after the local elections held during 2019.

In addition to the serious political consequences on democracy, the arbitrary replacement and imprisonment decisions over elected representatives and political leaders have had a severe impact on citizens and their life conditions, since harsh budget cuts have been applied to the municipalities concerned. This means that citizens have not been able to access basic and fundamental services, even during the pandemic period. This also applies to cities run by mayors of opposition parties who have not been removed, including Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and other municipalities in the South-East of the country. “Political, legislative, financial and administrative measures [were] taken by the government to paralyse” those municipalities, notes the European Parliament.

Furthermore, women’s shelters and other infrastructure providing services to women have been closed by the central government. This has coincided with Turkey's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention in what appears to be an attack on women’s rights and gender equality, after years of gradual backsliding in this area and the loss of much of the progress previously achieved.

This situation has nowadays also great effects on other important spheres as education, culture, the media and others

As this situation raises great concern, the Parliamentary Assembly should examine the situation of the civil, individual and democratic rights in Turkey with the aim to defend the rights of the people, especially children and women living in some areas in Turkey.