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
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