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Following the report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic on war crimes in Northern Syria, 68 MEPs have written a letter to the EP president.  

Brussels, October 19, 2020

To M. Davide Sassoli,President of the European Parliament
M. Sassoli,
We, the Members of the European Parliament, take note of the recent United Nations Report of the Independent Internationale Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic, which was presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on the 14th August 2020.
The report states that there are clear and evidential violations of human rights in North-Syria. These violations are (among others) conducted by the Turkish auxiliary forces such as “the Suleiman Shah Brigade”, “the Hamza Brigade” or “the Sultan Murad Brigade”. These groups hold power in the Afrin-Al Bab region as well as in the Tal Abyad-Serekaniye region.
Victims of these violations complain about various atrocities ranging from rape and sexual violence to abductions and extrajudicial killing etc. The, mostly Kurdish, victims who could flee from these atrocities are currently located in the regions of the Autonomous Administration of North-East Syria (AANES).
We demand that the Turkish government ceases its political, economic, and military support for all groups who are part of these systematic human rights violations. We are calling on the Turkish military and their auxiliary forces to end their illegal occupation in North-Syria and retreat from the region.
Therefore, we call on the President of the European Parliament to form a special delegation of elected parliamentarians to travel to the regions of the Autonomous Administration of North-East Syria as soon as the corona-related travel restrictions are lifted and health concerns while traveling no longer exist. The goal of sending a delegation on the spot is to gather further information on the situation, start a dialogue with the political body of the AANES, and to engage in talks with people who fled the contested areas under Turkish occupation. This would allow to investigate the UNHRC reports and to identify possible responsible figures of these atrocities, to start prosecutions within the framework of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Members of the European ParliamentALFONSI Francois (Greens/EFA); ANDREWS Barry (Renew); ARENA Maria (S&D); AUKEN Margrete (Greens/EFA); BARRENA Pernando (GUE/NGL); BELLAMY Francois-Xavier (EPP); BENIFEI Brando (S&D); BITEAU Benoit (Greens/EFA); BJÖRK Malin (GUE/NGL); BOMPARD Manuel (GUE/NGL); BRGLEZ Milan (S&D); BULLMANN Udo (S&D); CAREME Damien (Greens/EFA); CASTALDO Fabio Massimo (NI); CHAIBI Leila (GUE/NGL); CHRISTOFOROU Lefteris (EPP); CIUHODARU Tudor (S&D); COMIN I OLIVERES Antoni (NI); CORMAND David (Greens/EFA); DELBOS-CORFIELD Gwendoline (Greens/EFA); DELLI Karima (Greens/EFA); GEUKING Helmut (ECR); GRUFFAT Claude (Greens/EFA); GUSMÃO José (GUE/NGL); HAUTALA Heidi (Greens/EFA); HEIDE Hannes (S&D); INCIR Evin (S&D); JADOT Yannick (Greens/EFA); KAILI Eva (S&D); KANKO Assita (ECR); KIZILYÜREK Niyazi (GUE/NGL); KOKKALIS Petros (GUE/NGL); KONEČNÁ Kateřina (GUE/NGL); KÖSTER Dietmar (S&D); MANDL Lukas (PPE); MARQUARDT Erik (Greens/EFA); MATIAS Marisa (GUE/NGL); MAVRIDES Costas (S&D); MICHELS Martina (GUE/NGL); MODIG Silvia (GUE/NGL); PAPADAKIS Demetris (S&D); PAPADIMOULIS Dimitrios (GUE/NGL); PINEDA Manu (GUE/NGL); PONSATI Clara (NI); PUIGDEMONT Carles (NI); REGO Sira(GUE/NGL); RIBA I GINER Diana (Greens/EFA); RIVASI Michèle (Greens/EFA); RODRÍGUEZ PALOP Eugenia (GUE/NGL); ROOKMAKER Dorien (NI); ROOSE Caroline (Greens/EFA); SANTOS Isabel (S&D); SATOURI Mounir (Greens/EFA); SCHIEDER Andreas (S&D); SCHOLZ Helmut (GUE/NGL); SIDL Guenther (S&D); SINČIĆ Ivan Vilibor (NI); SMERIGLIO Massimiliano (S&D); SONNEBORN Martin (NI); STRIK Tineke (Greens/EFA); TOUSSAINT Marie (Greens/EFA); URBAN CRESPO Miguel (GUE/NGL); VANA Monika (Greens/EFA); VILLUMSEN Nikolaj (GUE/NGL); VOLLATH Bettina (S&D); YENBOU Salima (Greens/EFA); ŽDANOKA Tatjana (Greens/EFA); ZVER Milan (PPE)

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

On the occasion of the infomal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Berlin at the end of August, where relations with Turkey are on the agenda, we sent a letter to HR/VP Josep Borrell to draw the attention to the need for effective measures to counter the damaging policy of Turkey.

August 15 2020

Joseph Borrell
HR/VP of the European Commission
Rue de la loi 200 / Wetstraat 200
1040 Brussels, Belgium

Dear Mr. Borrell,

Some weeks ago, a meeting was held between the High Representative/ Vice-President of the European Commission and the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and a further meeting is scheduled for the end of this month. Turkey was the central topic at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in July. Before that, July 7, the EUTCC sent a letter to your office in which we respectfully hoped to draw your attention to the recent deplorable Turkish disregard for human rights, democracy and international law. With reference to the forthcoming meeting, we would like to make some recommendations for action.

In addition to increasing military activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and in Libya, as well as interventions in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Turkey has intensified its attacks on the Autonomous Region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq, contrary to international law. These have cost the lives of numerous civilians. Turkey is also militarily active in northern and eastern Syria, both directly and through jihadist militias. Compliance with international law must be enforced here as a matter of urgency. The European Union’s support and recognition of the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria, which is characterized by grassroots democracy, gender equality and ethnic and religious pluralism, would be an important step towards peace in the region.

However, peace is not possible without a political solution to the Kurdish question in Turkey. Here, the European Union can and should play a key role. In talks with members of the Turkish Government, this important aspect needs to be given greater weight. A peaceful solution to the Kurdish question is directly linked to the democratization of Turkey. In addition to dialogue with the government, an exchange with the democratic opposition is indispensable, especially The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), which is massively affected by state repression. It is unacceptable that dozens of elected officials and hundreds of HDP functionaries are imprisoned and that elected officials are dismissed on a daily basis.

The issue of refugees also plays a key role in relations with Turkey. In the context of the European Union’s priority of combating the causes of flight, the Autonomous Administration of Northern and Eastern Syria is a reliable partner in the region.

The EUTCC urges the High Representative/Vice-President of the European Commission, the European Union to use power by taking effective measures to counter the damaging policy of Turkey. We do not call for an end to dialogue but using that dialogue in a more focused manner in accordance with democratic values.
Respectfully yours,

Kariane Westrheim, Chairperson

Dersim Dagdeviren, Board Member

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

Press Release
For immediate release 6 August, 2020

New CPT reports on Turkey

The Council of Europe’s anti-Torture Committee (CPT) recently published two reports on prison’s conditions in Turkey. CPT’s visit in May 2019 to Turkey was to examine the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons detained by law enforcement agencies. On the same visit, the delegation went to Imrali F-type High-Security Prison (Imrali Prison). CPT’s goal was to examine the treatment and conditions of detention of the Kurdish political leader Abdullah Öcalan, as well as other prisoners held there in order to review the measures taken by the Turkish authorities in the light of the recommendations made by the CPT after the visit April 2016.

CPT has found that the situation regarding the prisoners’ regime had not improved at all since CPT’s last visit in 2016. All prisoners on the island were still being held in solitary confinement most of the time, which CPT found unacceptable. No visits by lawyers had been granted since July 2011 and hardly any visits by family members had taken place since October 2014. This is obviousely in contrast to various relevant international human rights instruments and standards.

In 2011, UN Special Rapporteur Juan E. Méndez also concluded in his report on solitary confinement that indefinite and prolonged solitary confinement amount to torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.

For 16 years, the EUTCC has organized annual international conferences in the European Parliament, focusing on the Kurdish question and democratic processes in Turkey. The final resolution of each conference urge the European Union, the United States, the international community and all democratic forces to use their political influence to encourage Turkey to find a peaceful, political solution to the Kurdish question. Furthermore, each conference call upon the EU member states, European institutions and the United Nations to take diplomatic, political and legal measures to compel Turkey to comply with international law concerning the ongoing isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. Concerning the Covid pandemic, special attention should be paid to Imrali Island and Abdullah Öcalan. Much can take place under the guise of Covid 19, such as sudden illness and death. Therefore, it is of crucial importance to have constant attention on Mr. Öcalan’s prison conditions.

The EUTCC agrees with CPT’s findings and will refer to these reports in order to refocus attention to some aspects that are not only relevant for human rights in general, but also in the context of a political solution to the Kurdish question and democratization of Turkey in particular.
EUTCC urge the Turkish government immediately to release Abdullah Öcalan and to return to dialogue and peaceful negotiations for a political solution to the Kurdish question. A solution of the Kurdish question is essential in order to achieve peace in the entire Middle East.

On behalf of the EUTCC Board

Kariane Westrheim
Chairperson

Dersim Dagdeviren
Board member

On the occasion of the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council, we sent a letter to HR/VP JosepBorrell to draw the attention to the recent deplorable Turkish disregard for human rights, democracy, and the very rule of domestic/international law.

Joseph Borrell
July 7, 2020
HR/VP of the European Commission
Rue de la loi 200 / Wetstraat 200
1040 Brussels, Belgium

Dear HR/VP Borrell,                                                                              

            The EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) would like respectfully to draw your attention to the recent deplorable Turkish disregard for human rights, democracy, and the very rule of domestic/international law. Specifically, the Turkish military invasion and continuing occupation of portions of northeastern Syria in October 2019 and more than 150 attacks on sites within the jurisdiction of the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq including the supposedly UN-protected Maxmur refugee camp housing more than 12 000 refugees and IDPs in June 2020 should be noted. Numerous civilians died in these Turkish attacks. In addition, we note the illegal removal of constitutionally elected mayors from the peaceful, legal, and pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) in Turkey on bogus charges of terrorism. Their replacement by government appointed “trustees” is in violation of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) opinion released on 18 June 2020.

The EUTCC is an international NGO created in 2004 to promote Turkish accession to the European Union (EU) as a means to help solve the Kurdish problem in that country through guaranteed respect for human and minority rights to achieve a peaceful, democratic, and long-term solution. Thus, the EUTCC monitors and conducts regular audits of Turkey’s compliance with the EU accession requirements as listed in the Copenhagen Criteria. The EUTCC also sponsors annual conferences within the EU parliament in Brussels to review and assess Turkey’s progress in these areas of major concern for the EU and international peace and law. Upon conclusion of our annual conference, we release to the international press a final resolution regarding the conference’s major statements and findings.

In harmony with our continuing mission, the recent European Union (EU) Progress Report on Turkey declared:

The adoption of a law allowing the immunity of a large number of deputies to be lifted and the ensuing detentions and arrests of several HDP members of Parliament, including the two Co-Chairs, in November [2016], are a matter of grave concern. . . .  Many elected representatives and municipal executives in the southeast were suspended, removed from their duties, or arrested under terrorism-related charges, some of them on the basis of decrees under the state of emergency following the [Gulen] coup attempt. However, anti-terror measures need to be proportionate and must respect human rights. . . .   There has been backsliding in the past year, in particular with regard to the independence of the judiciary. . . . The anti-terror law is not in line with the acquis [in effect, the EU Constitution] with regard to its scope and definitions and its application raises serious fundamental rights concern. . . .  Many allegations of serious violations of the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment and of procedural rights [also] were reported.

In addition, the most recent (2019) U.S. State Department Human Rights Report on Turkey concluded:

Significant human rights issues included: reports of arbitrary killings; suspicious deaths of persons in custody; forced disappearances; torture; arbitrary arrest and detention of tens of thousands of persons, including former opposition members of parliament, lawyers, journalists, foreign citizens, and employees of the U.S. Mission, for purported ties to “terrorist” groups or peaceful legitimate speech; the existence of political prisoners, including elected officials and academics; significant problems with judicial independence; severe restriction on freedom of expression, the press, and the internet, including violence and threats of violence against journalists, closure of media outlets, and unjustified arrests or criminal prosecution of journalists and others for criticizing government policies or officials, censorship, site blocking and the existence of criminal libel laws; severe restriction of freedoms of assembly, association, and movement, some cases of refoulment of refugees, and violence against women.    

Contrary to what the Turkish government often implicitly tries to maintain, the peaceful pro-Kurdish HDP political party is not linked to the violence that has occurred in Turkey. Indeed, the Turkish government itself has recognized this fact by currently allowing more than 50 legally elected members of the pro-Kurdish HDP to serve as members of the Turkish Parliament.  Although he has been incarcerated since October 2016, Turkish laws ironically permitted Selahattin Demirtas, the former co-chair of the HDP, to run for President of Turkey in the elections held on August 14, 2014 and most recently on June 24, 2018. Indeed, the HDP has legal offices in Europe and the United States.

Even during the current coronavirus pandemic—which has struck hard in Turkey—the government has continued to remove peaceful, legally elected HDP mayors and replace them with government trustees. For example, on March 23, 2020, the government removed eight more HDP mayors and again on May 15, 2020 another five. These five included Siirt, Igdir, Kurtalan, Baykan, and Altinova. A total of 51 out of 65 HDP-run municipalities have had their legally elected officials removed since the most recent local elections held on March 31, 2019. 

Among the peaceful goals the HDP seeks are: 1.) Release of the approximately 5,000 non-violent Kurdish activists currently being held on terrorism charges; 2). Mother-tongue education for the Kurds in public schools; 3.) Reduction of the unreasonably high 10 percent threshold for election to the Turkish Parliament and its lowering to such EU standards as possibly 5 percent so that minorities such as the Kurds can be represented more accurately in line with their actual numbers; 4.) Expanding the boundaries for civil liberties regarding organizing, assembly, and speech; and 5.) The implementation of a new, more democratic Turkish Constitution to replace the authoritarian one written by the military in 1982 and subsequently amended by the Erdogan government to grant Erdogan even more power. 

Based on these egregiously unacceptable facts, the EUTCC respectfully asks that the European Commission publicize this situation and consider further actions such as targeted, smart sanctions.

Respectfully yours,

Kariane Westrheim
Chairperson

Michael Gunter
Secretary General

Dersim Dagdeviren
Board member

Brussels, July 06 2020
Mr. Josep Borrell
HR/VP of the European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200 / Wetstraat 200
1040 Brussels, Belgium

Object: A call for immediate action to stop Turkey’s attacks against peace and democracy, in Kurdistan and everywhere

Mr Borrell,

We are writing to draw your attention to the repression of democratic political opposition in Turkey, especially the detention of MPs and Mayors from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP); the Turkish invasion bombardments in Northern Iraq and Northern Syria in particular the regions inhabited by Kurds.
Over the last five years, President Erdoğan’s ruling AKP has built an extremely authoritarian political system with the help of its ultranationalist allies and under conditions of emergency rule. In this process, over 90,000 people have been arrested with ‘terrorism’-related charges, including party
leaders, members of parliament, elected Kurdish mayors, thousands of other HDP party members, journalists, academics, lawyers, civil society representatives, human rights activists, and many more.
The government has typically labelled anybody critical of its policies, particularly its Kurdish policy, as a terrorist or a traitor, and an enemy of the state. The “Turkish-type presidential system” has totally undermined the principle of separation of powers and an independent judiciary.
The Turkish Government’s unlawful attacks are not simply directed against parliamentary democracy. They have also been unlawfully removing HDP co-mayors in Kurdish provinces, and replacing them with appointed governor-trustees.” Since the local elections held on 31 March 2019, the government has unlawfully seized 46 HDP-run municipalities out of 65. The European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) released its opinion no.979/2019 on 18 June 2020 and mentioned that it is incompatible with basic principles of democracy, the rule of law and foreseeability of the law.
We would also like to express our serious concerns about the continued shocking air strikes of the Turkish army in the regions of Sinjar and the UNHCR Makhmour Camp as well as other parts in South Kurdistan (Kurdistan Region of Iraq ), which commenced on 14 June, and drone attack in Koban (Kurdish Region of Syria) on 23 of June 2020. In both attacks, many civilians lost their lives or seriously injured.
Since 17 June 2020, the Turkish military commenced moving ground forces into the Iraqi Kurdistan region, supported by drones and helicopters that hit more than 150 targets. This Turkish military action is destabilizing the region, exacerbating humanitarian suffering, and providing a fertile ground for the resurgence of terrorist groups, which will especially undermine progress made against ISIS. Furthermore, the continued air strikes could lead to the displacement of more people and force them to be asylum seekers in different parts of neighbouring countries or Europe.

Turkey is a member of NATO, a member of the Council of Europe, and a candidate country in the process of accession to the EU. The Commission should not tolerate these unacceptable actions against all democratic norms of national and international law. We ask you to take action against Erdogan’s autocratic regime.
The EU faces also belligerent behaviour from Turkey in the Mediterranean Sea, going as far as the risk of confrontation with European ships belonging to the French Navy.
We cannot remain passive in the face of so much aggressiveness, including towards the EU Itself.
We would like to request that the Commission take immediate and concrete steps, as economic and targeted sanctions, to help end this unlawful repression and attacks, as well as attacks against international law.

Sincerely,

ALFONSI Francois (Greens/EFA); ANDROULAKIS Nikos (S&D); ARVANITIS Konstantinos (GUE/NGL); AUKEN Margrete (Greens/EFA); BARRENA Pernando (GUE/NGL); BELLAMY Francois-Xavier (EPP); BENIFEI Brando (S&D); BIEDROŃ Robert (S&D); BILBAO BARANDICA Izaskun (Renew); BITEAU Benoit (Greens/EFA); BJÖRK Malin (GUE/NGL); BOMPARD Manuel (GUE/NGL); BOURGEOIS Geert (ECR); BUSCHMANN Martin (NI); CAREME Damien (Greens/EFA); CASTALDO Fabio Massimo (NI); CHAIBI Leila (GUE/NGL); CHRISTOFOROU Lefteris (EPP); COMIN I OLIVERES Antoni (NI); CORMAND David (Greens/EFA); CORRAO Ignazio (NI); D’AMATO Rosa (NI); DELBOS-CORFIELD Gwendoline (Greens/EFA); DELLI Karima (Greens/EFA); DONATH Anna (Renew); DURAND Pascal (Renew); FAJON Tanja (S&D); FOURLAS Loucas (EPP); GEORGOULIS Alexis (GUE/NGL); GRUFFAT Claude (Greens/EFA); GUSMÃO José (GUE/NGL); GUTELAND Jytte (S&D); HEIDE Hannes (S&D); INCIR Evin (S&D); JADOT Yannick (Greens/EFA); KAILI Eva (S&D); KANKO Assita (ECR); KARLSBRO Karin (Renew); KONEČNÁ Kateřina (GUE/NGL); KOUNTOURA Elena (GUE/NGL); KUHNKE Alice (Greens/EFA); LOISEAU Nathalie (Renew); MAJORINO Pierfrancesco (S&D); MATIAS Marisa (GUE/NGL); MAVRIDES Costas (S&D); PAPADAKIS Demetris (S&D); PAPADIMOULIS Dimitrios (GUE/NGL); PELLETIER Anne-Sophie (GUE/NGL); PETER-HANSEN Kira (Greens/EFA); PISAPIA Giuliano (S&D); PONSATI Clara (NI); PUIGDEMONT Carles (NI); REGNER Evelyn (S&D); RIBA I GINER Diana (Greens/EFA); RIVASI Michèle (Greens/EFA); ROOSE Caroline (Greens/EFA); SANTOS Isabel (S&D); SATOURI Mounir (Greens/EFA); SCHIEDER Andreas (S&D); SIDL Guenther (S&D); SMERIGLIO Massimiliano (S&D); TOUSSAINT Marie (Greens/EFA); VAN OVERTVELDT Johan (ECR); VANA Monika (Greens/EFA); VILLANUEVA RUIZ Idoia (GUE/NGL); VILLUMSEN Nikolaj (GUE/NGL); YENBOU Salima (Greens/EFA); ACHAROPOULOU Chrysoula (Renew); ŽDANOKA Tatjana (Greens/EFA).

Members of the European Parliament