Author: Admin

Dear Executive Board,

Please find below our current newsletter.

Kind regards
Prof. Kariane Westrheim
Chairpersons

Statement on the Adoption of the European Parliament’s 2026 Türkiye Report

The report provides a clear and comprehensive assessment of the ongoing deterioration of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Türkiye, while also identifying a historic opportunity for a peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kurdish question.

Statement on Adoption of EP’s 2026 Türkiye Report

Letter to Ms von der Leyen on the European Parliament’s 2026 Türkiye Report

We therefore respectfully encourage the European Commission to give due consideration to these recommendations and to actively support efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable, peaceful and democratic future in Türkiye.

Letter to EC’s President on the European Parliament’s 2026 Türkiye Report

Press accreditation at NATO summit

NATO has declined accreditation for several major news outlets and journalists ahead of the alliance’s summit scheduled to take place in Ankara on Jul 7-8.

Framework law debate

At this stage, the fact that the process underway in Parliament around the “framework law” has returned to a stage of renegotiation despite the joint report previously formed in the commissions brings with it discussions suggesting that the process, rather than progressing in a linear fashion, has a cyclical structure that repeatedly stalls and is renegotiated, and that a final consensus among political actors has not yet been institutionalized.

http://www.mezopotamyaajansi44.com/en/ALL-NEWS/content/view/316621

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EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

Her Excellency

Ms Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission

Implementation of the Recommendations Contained in the European Parliament’s 2026 Report on Türkiye

Dear President von der Leyen,

On behalf of the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), I would like to draw your attention to the recommendations adopted by the European Parliament in its 2026 Report on Türkiye and respectfully urge the European Commission to take concrete steps towards their implementation.

The report reflects growing concern regarding the continuing deterioration of democratic standards, judicial independence, local democracy and fundamental rights in Türkiye. At the same time, it acknowledges that recent developments surrounding the announced dissolution of the PKK may create a historic opportunity to advance a peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kurdish question and, consequently, contribute to the democratisation of Türkiye as a whole.

The EUTCC believes that the European Union has both a political responsibility and a strategic interest in supporting this process in a constructive, principled and forward-looking manner.

In this regard, we respectfully encourage the Commission and the Council to consider the following measures:

1. Support an Inclusive and Democratic Peace Process

Encourage the Turkish authorities to ensure that the ongoing process develops within a transparent, democratic and parliamentary framework that includes political parties, civil society organisations, human rights defenders and representatives of affected communities.

2. Promote Legislative Reform

Make clear that progress in EU–Türkiye relations requires substantial reforms of anti-terror legislation and related judicial practices, in line with the standards of the European Convention on Human Rights and the recommendations of the Council of Europe.

3. Support the Implementation of the “Right to Hope”

In this context, the EUTCC underlines the importance of implementing the “right to hope” in accordance with the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, including with regard to the case of Abdullah Öcalan. Meaningful and credible peace negotiations are difficult to envisage without enabling Mr Öcalan to participate effectively in a genuine dialogue process.

4. Defend Local Democracy

Continue to oppose the systematic replacement of democratically elected mayors and local representatives by appointed trustees and insist on respect for electoral mandates and democratic governance.

5. Support Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Mechanisms

Encourage the establishment of institutional mechanisms capable of addressing enforced disappearances, forced displacement, impunity and other serious human rights violations linked to decades of conflict.

6. Strengthen Support for Civil Society

Increase support for independent civil society organisations, human rights defenders, women’s organisations, youth initiatives, professional associations and other democratic actors throughout Türkiye.

7. Ensure Accountability for Serious Human Rights Violations

Carefully assess the European Parliament’s recommendation regarding the possible use of the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against officials responsible for grave and systematic violations of fundamental rights and democratic freedoms.

Madam President,

The European Parliament has provided a clear and comprehensive roadmap. The credibility of the European Union’s commitment to democracy, human rights and peaceful conflict resolution will depend on whether these recommendations are translated into meaningful policy and concrete action.

The present moment offers a rare opportunity to move beyond a security-centred approach and towards a democratic solution based on rights, participation and reconciliation. The European Union can and should play a constructive role in supporting such a transformation.

We therefore respectfully encourage the European Commission to give due consideration to these recommendations and to actively support efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable, peaceful and democratic future in Türkiye.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Yours sincerely,

Prof. Kariane Westrheim

Chairperson

EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) welcomes the adoption of the European Parliament’s 2026 Report on Türkiye by a broad majority. The report provides a clear and comprehensive assessment of the ongoing deterioration of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Türkiye, while also identifying a historic opportunity for a peaceful and democratic resolution of the Kurdish question.

The EUTCC particularly welcomes the Parliament’s recognition that the current dialogue process and the announced dissolution of the PKK have created an unprecedented opening for peace. At the same time, the report rightly points to the contradictions that continue to undermine confidence in the process: the persistence of political repression, the use of anti-terror legislation against elected representatives, the continuation of the trustee system, and the criminalisation of legitimate democratic activities.

A sustainable peace process cannot be built upon the exclusion of democratic actors, restrictions on fundamental freedoms or the suppression of political dissent. Lasting peace requires democratic participation, legal certainty, accountability and respect for human rights.

The EUTCC strongly supports the European Parliament’s call for legislative reforms that bring Türkiye’s anti-terror framework and related practices into line with European human rights standards. Such reforms are indispensable if the current process is to evolve from a security-centred initiative into a genuine democratic peace process.

In this context, the EUTCC also underlines the importance of fully implementing the “right to hope” in line with the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights, including in the case of Abdullah Öcalan. Meaningful and credible peace negotiations require the freedom of Mr. Öcalan to enable genuine dialogue, legal safeguards and respect for fundamental rights. This would constitute an important confidence-building measure for the advancement of a democratic and peaceful resolution.

We also welcome the Parliament’s call for the establishment of an institutional framework capable of addressing enforced disappearances, forced displacement and other grave human rights violations that have resulted from decades of conflict. Truth, justice, accountability and reconciliation are essential components of any lasting settlement.

The EUTCC further supports the Parliament’s continued solidarity with civil society organisations, human rights defenders, women’s organisations, youth initiatives, trade unions, bar associations and independent democratic actors throughout Türkiye. These actors remain indispensable partners for democratic transformation and peaceful coexistence.

The EUTCC calls upon all stakeholders – the Turkish Government, the Turkish Grand National Assembly, civil society organisations and European institutions – to seize this historic opportunity and work towards a democratic, peaceful and rights-based future for all citizens of Türkiye.

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EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1

No Further Delay: Right to Hope is Essential for the Success of the Peace Process 

The EU Turkey Civic Commission is following with great concern the agenda for the forthcoming meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies of the Council of Europe in June 2026. Despite Turkey’s ongoing violations, the case of Gurban v. Turkey has not been included on the agenda. This decision sends a problematic signal regarding the enforcement of binding judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and jeopardises the credibility of the European human rights system as a whole.

The ECtHR has clearly ruled that the system of aggravated life imprisonment violates the prohibition of inhuman and degrading treatment. In several resolutions, the Committee of Ministers has called on Turkey to establish a statutory review procedure and to implement the judgments. Nevertheless, the Turkish government continues to refuse to take substantive steps to fulfil these obligations. 

The current political situation lends this issue added urgency. The dialogue process between the Turkish state and Abdullah Öcalan is an opportunity for a political solution to the Kurdish question. However, a credible and sustainable dialogue cannot be conducted under conditions of continued isolation, legal arbitrariness and systematic disregard for international court rulings. Particularly in the context of such a process, the implementation of the ECtHR rulings is not a technical detail, but a central prerequisite for the rule of law, confidence-building and democratic prospects.

Reports of alleged improvements to Abdullah Öcalan’s prison conditions on İmralı island must therefore be viewed with great caution. Visits by lawyers and family members, as well as by the İmralı delegation of the DEM Party, remain subject to arbitrary restrictions. The İmralı system remains an expression of a special regime that contravenes fundamental standards of the rule of law. 

The fact that the Gurban case was not included on the agenda for the June meeting should therefore not be interpreted as a political let-off for Turkey. The Committee of Ministers is obliged to effectively monitor and ensure compliance with the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights. 

The EU Turkey Civic Commission therefore calls for:

1. the immediate inclusion of the Gurban v. Turkey case on the agenda of the next meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies;

2. the consistent implementation of the ECtHR judgments on the ‘right to hope’;

3. the linking of the ongoing dialogue process with concrete steps regarding human rights and the rule of law. 

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EU Turkey Civic Commission
www.eutcc.net
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission
Instagram: @eutcc1