Author: EutccAdmin

Newsletter April 2024

EutccAdmin

Dear Sir or Madam,

Please find below our current newsletter.

Kind regards

Kariane Westrheim
Chairperson

Our statement: Anti-Kurdish Policy from Turkey to Europe
We call on the European Union member states not to support Turkey’s anti-Kurdish policy. Freedom of the press & international law are universal values that must be protected and defended.

eutcc.net/?p=1692

Council of Europe Congress statement on election observation mission to Turkey:
“However, we regretted that, for the first time in over 120 Congress missions, one delegation member was not granted accreditation…. In line with the Council of Europe principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights, more needs to be done to ensure a political and media environment where there is genuine freedom of expression and a reasonable and well-implemented framework overseen by an independent judiciary.”

https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/-/council-of-europe-congress-local-elections-in-t%C3%BCrkiye-overall-well-organised-and-respecting-the-will-of-the-voters

Statement by DEM Party: We urge the AKP Government to respect the will of the people of Van!
We call upon all supporters of democratic principles to condemn this course of action. Respecting the will of the people is fundamental to the essence of democracy.

https://demparti.org.tr/en/we-urge-the-akp-government-to-respect-the-will-of-the-people-of-van/17952

Our statement: Turkey has voted against AKP & Erdoğan
A democratic transformation process can be initiated only if the causality between the democratisation of the country / region & a political solution to the Kurdish question is seen.

eutcc.net/?p=1675

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

PR: Anti-Kurdish Policy from Turkey to Europe

EutccAdmin

After the local elections on 31 March – the AKP suffered significant losses – which this gave hope for political change. Several European politicians already saw the end of the era under President Erdoğan.

But the sad fact is that only three weeks later, Turkey intensified its attacks on the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in violation of international law, this happened shortly before Turkish President Erdoğan’s visit there and in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, and in parallel to German President Steinmeier’s visit to Turkey.

At the same time, the studios of the Kurdish TV stations Medya Haber and Sterk in Belgium were searched, while nine Kurdish journalists were arrested in Turkey. These attacks on press freedom are unacceptable. The Kurdish media landscape has played a key role in ensuring that opposition voices from Turkey were heard in the local elections.

Belgium has not yet drawn any conclusions from the attacks by Turkish fascists on Kurds in connection with the Newroz celebrations in March, which would be urgently needed.

We call on the European Union member states not to support Turkey’s anti-Kurdish policy. Freedom of the press and international law are universal values that must be protected and defended.

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

Instagram: @EUTCC1

Newsletter March 2024

EutccAdmin

Our statement: Upcoming elections in Turkey: Neither free nor fair

In addition to identifying violations of the principle of free and fair elections in accordance with the Protocol 1, Article 3 of the Human Rights Act, it is important to draw consequences from violations. European institutions, especially the Council of Europe, need to be more proactive here.

http://eutcc.net/?p=1665

Memorandum by the Council of Europe commissioner for human rights Dunja Mijatovic

Turkey reverse a critically hostile environment for freedom of expression and for journalists, human rights defenders and civil society. 

https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/t%C3%BCrkiye-reverse-a-critically-hostile-environment-for-freedom-of-expression-and-for-journalists-human-rights-defenders-and-civil-society

Report by UN Syria Commission of Inquiry

Turkish aerial attacks on power plants deprived nearly one million people of water & electricity for weeks, in violation of international humanitarian law. Civilians were also killed. Such attacks may amount to war crimes.

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/un-commission-inquiry-syria-too-desperately-needs-ceasefire

Report by the US Department of Defense

A recent report issued by the US Department of Defense indicates that the terrorist ISIS group persists in utilizing Turkey for the transfer of funds and to facilitate support for its regional and global activities.

Pentagon report says ISIS taps Turkey for cash transfers to support global ops

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

Press Statement 01.04.2024

EutccAdmin
Turkey has voted against AKP & Erdoğan 
Turkey has voted. The people have decided against the AKP and its nationalist-Islamist allies. The CHP was able to extend its lead in numerous metropolises and claim new metropolitan areas for itself. In the Kurdish regions, the DEM party has reclaimed the trustees-lead municipalities and won new ones. Against the backdrop of 46,000 imported voters and massive repression, this is a remarkable success that clearly demonstrates the role the region plays in the country’s democratic transformation.
The role of the DEM Party with regard to gender equality must also be emphasised in this context. The party ran nationwide with co-candidates. In Batman – the city was considered a stronghold of the Islamist Hüda-Par – candidate Gülistan Sönük achieved a nationwide metropolitan record with 64.48%.
A democratic transformation process can be initiated only if the causality between the democratisation of the country / region and a political solution to the Kurdish question is seen. The CHP should seize this opportunity.
But Europe also has a role to play. The Council of Europe must draw conclusions from the irregularities in the elections. It is also important that the success of the CHP and DEM party is recognised equally. If the focus is increasingly placed on the CHP and the Kurdish cause is ignored, democracy will remain wishful thinking.
The European Union must increase the pressure on Erdoğan. The only way out is to return to the negotiating table with the Kurds. This also requires an immediate end to the incommunicado detention of Abdullah Öcalan. The European institutions also have a responsibility here.
EU Turkey Civic Commission
Twitter: @EUTCC1
Facebook: Eu Turkey Civic Commission

Press Statement 13.03.2024

EutccAdmin

Upcoming elections in Turkey: Neither free nor fair

On March 31, local elections will be held in Turkey.

The local elections are currently making headlines due to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s statement that the upcoming local elections would be his last ever. This is not very credible, especially as the deputy AKP chairman and former justice minister Bekir Bozdağ stated that he could technically run one more time if the parliament called for an early election.

Irrespective of this, irregularities can already be observed in the run-up to the elections. DEM Party filed an objection to the Supreme Election Council (YSK) regarding civilian, military, and police voters who were irregularly moved to Kurdish cities before the local elections – without success. According to the DEM Party, a total of 54,600 military, police and civilian voters moved in 33 regions. Opposition members are arrested almost daily, candidates from the DEM party in particular. According to Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) member Necdet İpekyüz, since the start of the election calendar, Turkish state television TRT News allocated 1,945 minutes to the ruling AKP, and 25 minutes to the main opposition CHP. While the DEM Party was allocated 0 minutes, 27 minutes of content was against the pro-Kurdish party.

Both against the background of experiences from previous elections – PACE reported a lack of judicial review of decisions made by the Supreme Election Council, the misuse of administrative resources and state media by incumbents, and instances of intimidation and harassment targeting opposition parties and candidates in presidential and parliamentary elections in May 2023 – and in the context of the political atmosphere, which is characterised by massive repression and an expansive, belligerent foreign policy, it is clear that the elections are neither free nor fair.

Europe must closely follow the elections. It is important that members of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe travel to Turkey from 29 March to 2 April 2024. There are also other observer delegations that can be joined.

In addition to identifying violations of the principle of free and fair elections in accordance with the Protocol 1, Article 3 of the Human Rights Act, it is important to draw consequences from violations. European institutions, especially the Council of Europe, need to be more proactive here.

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