27/01/2026 | 16:38:13 Dear colleagues, Guaranteeing fair elections in times of crisis demonstrates the extent to which we are committed to democracy at such times. There may be an earthquake, attempts to manipulate elections, terrorism or armed conflict. It is precisely in the face of these exceptional crises that our commitment to the rule of law is put to the test. Dear colleagues, will we see crises as an excuse to abandon free elections, or will we create a system that is resilient in the face of such crises... 02/10/2025 | 20:42:37 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) First of all I would like to thank Mr Stefan SCHENNACH for his extraordinary efforts for this organization. Dear colleagues, The clear recognition of the right to housing as a human right is a significant achievement for human dignity. Therefore, I congratulate the rapporteur on her important work. Housing should not be treated as an investment tool, but as a means for everyone to live with dignity. Vacant apartments, houses bought solely for... 02/10/2025 | 20:19:57 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear colleagues, First of all, I would like to thank the rapporteur for her work on this important issue. This is a topic that is also highly relevant for my country today. Political parties enable citizens to organize around their views and values. In real democracies, political parties compete, present their ideas, and the people choose which one they prefer, and governments can be changed through elections. When there is genuine... 02/10/2025 | 12:45:03 Dear colleagues, Last night, Israel intervened in the Sumud Flotilla in international waters. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Palestine, many of them women and children. There's no access to clean water, no food, no medical care, no schools, no hospitals, no energy. And the journalists who could have shown the world what is really happening, they have been targeted too. Dear colleagues, this is not a natural disaster. The humanitarian crisis did not happen by itself, so there... 30/09/2025 | 11:32:25 Thank you, Mr Chair. Dear collegues, In this organisation that was founded to protect human rights and democracy, it is disappointing to see that in every session, Türkiye is remembered not by its progress but by violations. However, I believe and I am sure that my country will be remembered by how its people fought for democracy and how they rebuilt it. I will not repeat what happened, how it still happens, and I know that you all know that it did not happen in a day. I see the exact same... 30/09/2025 | 10:34:41 Thank you. Mister Secretary General, In Türkiye, dozens of mayors, politicians, bureaucrats and activists have been jailed. In the lawsuits filed against the Republican People’s Party (CHP), there are demands for the appointment of a trustee to the party. A trustee was appointed to the Istanbul administration of the Republican People’s Party. Although these lawsuits have become irrelevant due to the congresses held by the party, the judiciary continues to be used as a political tool. These... 09/04/2025 | 20:01:15 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Dear collegues, Mayor of Istanbul, President of Union of Municipalities in Türkiye, and our presidential candidate Mr. Ekrem İmamoğlu has been in jail since March 19. I will not repeat what happened, because the facts and injustices are crystal clear. Instead of repeating the facts, I will focus on the ways to react. What makes us an institution based on protecting human rights and democracy is not our tactics or ability to maneuver. It is... 09/04/2025 | 19:20:12 Thank you, Madam President. Dear colleagues, first of all, I would like to congratulate the rapporteur for this report focusing on a critical challenge our institution is facing. The implementation of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights is not about obeying to foreign powers, as some might claim it to be. It is about respecting the values of this very institution and its existence. With several judgments, such as KAVALA, DEMIRTAŞ and YÜKSEKDAĞ cases not being implemented, I'm... 09/04/2025 | 12:40:25 Thank you, Mister President. My question will be about the case of Mr İMAMOĞLU, the Republican People's Party's (CHP) presidential candidate. Ekrem İMAMOĞLU has been jailed for political reasons along with his closest colleagues, including his campaign manager, his main advisor and several district mayors in Istanbul. There are several lawsuits filed against the Republican People's Party (CHP) with demands for the appointment of a trustee to our party. Mister Minister, you already mentioned... 30/01/2025 | 16:49:33 Thank you, Madam Chair, dear colleagues, To be completely honest, when I read this report, two issues caught me by surprise. I will thank the rapporteur for one of them and I will offer a critique on the other. First of all, violence against women is not limited to physical violence. It can also be economic. To strengthen the role of women in the economy, governments must take steps towards gender-responsive budgeting. The most powerful and yet most attacked instrument of the Council of...