Letter to President Erdoğan

di giovedì, Luglio 19, 2018 0 , , , , Permalink

Lettera promossa dalla deputata ALDE Marietje Schaake e sottoscritta anche da Barbara Spinelli.

 

H E President Erdoğan

Cumhurbaşkanlığı Külliyesi

06560 Beştepe, Ankara

Turkey

Brussels, July 18th 2018

 

His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,

 

We urge your Government to ensure the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms. We therefore welcome the expected end of the state of emergency, which for the past two years has meant certain rights guaranteed by the European Convention of Human Rights were suspended. Yet we are concerned that even after the state of emergency is lifted, Presidential decree will allow the suspension of rights.

In general, we are alarmed by what the European Commission has called “serious backsliding” on human rights. In a decree issued earlier this month, you ordered more than 18,000 civil servants be fired. This number is added to the 130,000 people already fired from government jobs.

Furthermore, thousands of people have been illegitimately detained, including human rights defenders, writers, and social media users.

The withdrawal of press cards, as well as the closure of numerous media outlets or the assertion of government control remain deeply troubling and are incompatible with Turkey’s commitments to human rights and freedoms.

The Government continues to use its authorities to block online content on a wide range of grounds. The global encyclopedia Wikipedia remains blocked in Turkey for more than a year, denying people access to information on topics ranging from medicine, to history, to current events.

As President, we look to you to take immediate and irreversible steps to demonstrate a commitment to people’s rights under this new government.

We call for the release of all unjustly detained, and for an end to censorship and silencing of journalists.

In particular, the immediate release of Osman Kavala, Ahmet Sik, and Selehattin Demirtas would help indicate that there is commitment to international standards concerning freedom of expression and fair trial.

Sincerely,

 Marietje Schaake

 Rebecca Harms (Greens/EFA)

Anna Maria Corazza Bildt (EPP)

Alessia Mosca (S&D)

Bodil Valero (Greens/EFA)

Matthijs van Miltenburg (ALDE)

Joachim Starbatty (ECR)

Bernd Kölmel (ECR)

Helmut Scholz (GUE/NGL)

Renate Sommer (EPP)

Sven Giegold (Greens/EFA)

Jean Lamberts (Greens/EFA)

Brando Benifei (S&D)

Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE/NGL)

Jiří Pospíšil (EPP)

Hans-Olaf Henkel (ECR)

Michal Boni (EPP)

Julie Ward (S&D)

Pavel Telicka (ALDE)

Sophie in ‘t Veld (ALDE)

Ana Gomes (S&D)

Franz Obermayr (ENF)

Margot Parker (EFDD)

Kostas Chrysogonos (GUE/NGL)

Jordi Solé (Greens/EFA)

Tunne Kelam (EPP)

Takis Hadjigeorgiou (GUE/NGL)

Eleonora Forenza (GUE/NGL)

William Dartmouth (EFDD)

Helga Trüpel (Greens/EFA)

Helga Stevens (ECR)

Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL)                                                         

Hilde Vautmans (ALDE)

Eva Kaili (S&D)

Barbara Spinelli (GUE/NGL)

103 firme per un fondo di sostegno agli accademici licenziati in Turchia

Dear HR/VP Federica Mogherini,

Dear Commissioner Tibor Navracsics,

Please find enclosed a letter regarding a recent new purge in Turkey of 4464 public workers, that involved 330 academics and scholars who have been expelled from their positions.

On June 8th, 2016, You presented a new ‘Strategy for international cultural relations‘, which aims to encourage cultural cooperation between the EU and its partner countries and promote a global order based on peace, the rule of law, freedom of expression, mutual understanding and respect for fundamental values.

In the press release, You affirmed that cultural exchange and cultural institutions will be called upon to play a crucial role in strengthening international partnerships.

Considering the grave situation in Turkey, as described also by President Jean-Claude Juncker during the last sitting of the European Parliament, held on the 1st of March, we propose in our letter, co-signed by 102 academics and Members of the European Parliament, the creation of an EU fund having the aim of supporting the Turkish academics and scholars in need.

This fund could be based in Brussels and created in accordance with the framework of EU strategy on the central role of culture in foreign policy. Such a fund would prioritize the protection of Turkish intellectual and cultural life, with a particular focus on freedom of expression and information and the right to have rights.

Thank you very much,

barbara spinelli