MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience

B9‑0073/2021

European Parliament resolution on Human rights situation in Turkey, notably the case of Selahattin Demirtas and other prisoners of conscience

(2021/2506(RSP))

The European Parliament,

–  Having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Turkey is a party;

–  Having regard to the report of the UN Sub-Commission for the Prevention of Human Rights and the Protection of Minorities published on July 2, 1985, describing the massacre of Armenians as genocide ;

-  Having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular regarding human rights violations in Turkey

-  Having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure, 

1. Whereas the reiterated violations of human rights by the Turkish regime, particularly since the attempted coup of 2016, and the consequent negative developments on fundamental rights, on media freedom and on the judiciary reveal the dramatic human rights situation in Turkey and the continuing erosion of democracy and of the rule of law;

2. Whereas on 27 August 2020 Ebru Timtik, a Turkish lawyer accused of terrorism, died in prison after 238 days on hunger strike;

3. Whereas the arbitrary arrests of members of the opposition to the ruling party - which extends to any critical activities - has become a deliberate, relentless, systematic state policy, reducing the scope of a free political debate;

4. Whereas the murder of Havrin Khalaf, a young Kurdish-Syrian politician, on 13 October 2019, was committed by mercenaries in the service of Turkey in north-eastern Syria;

5. Whereas Selahattin Demirtaş - as co-leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) led the Party to its first-ever appearance in the Turkish parliament in 2015 - has been imprisoned since November 2016; whereas according to a ECHR ruling on 22 December 2020 his arrest in 2016 violated his freedom of speech and the right of joining to the elections, and Turkey must ensure its immediate release from detention;

6. Whereas the Turkish officials did not implement the decisions and a court in Turkey ruled that Selahattin Demirtas shall remain detained;

1. Underlines that Turkey should uphold the highest standards of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, including compliance with international conventions;

2. Calls on the Commission and Council to unconditionally and irrevocably terminate all negotiations regarding the accession of Turkey to the EU, as it is not a European country and does not act in accordance with European values, particularly those aimed at preserving a peaceful Europe, and should therefore not become a member of the European Union;

3. Calls on the Commission and the Council to terminate all funding to Turkey in terms of the pre-accession process, the current and planned MFF, the EU Facility for Refugees, and in terms of the EU-Turkey action plan on migration; furthermore, calls on the EU to stop all EIB loans to Turkey; asks for the suspension of the EU-Turkey Customs Union agreement, which entered into force on 31 December 1995;

4. Underlines the latest discriminations against Christians in Turkey and ask Turkish authorities to prosecute the aggressors of Simoni and Hurmuz Diril;

5. Urges the Turkish judiciary to swift implement the last European Court of Human Rights judgement and consequently release Selahattin Demirtaş;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Vice President/High Representative of the European Union and the competent Turkish authorities.