Brussels, 14/10/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 13 October, Human Rights Association campaigner Osman Isci called on the EU to be firmer towards the Turkish authorities with regard to the respect of human rights. A few days after the attacks in Ankara, which according to the Turkish authorities left 97 dead and according to human rights campaigners left 128 dead, Isci said he wanted the EU to call on Turkey to conduct a “transparent, independent and effective” investigation. “The EU should ask the Turkish government for those responsible to be accountable, otherwise this will lead to eyes being closed or even impunity”, he told EUROPE. The Turkish authorities have reportedly decided that the investigation should be confidential.
Isci also regretted the fact that Turkey's prime minister, who announced that he would speak to all parties, has apparently excluded the People's Democratic Party (HDP), when in Isci's view this party reportedly lost 60 members in the attack. “There is no responsibility or neutral approach, and [the government] is trying to ban audiovisual media”, Isci said, adding that no one apologised or resigned after the attack. He criticised the authorities for not warning the organisers of the danger. During the evening of 13 October, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged the probable failings of the authorities.
More generally, the international community - and in particular the EU - should play its role, Isci said. In his view, although there are numerous violations of human rights in Turkey, the EU does not respond strongly and should do so according to international standards. While stating that the progress report published by the EU every year highlights human rights violations, Isci wondered: “Is there effective monitoring? Does the EU check what is happening and what Turkey does with the recommendations?” He again called for negotiation Chapters 23 and 24 to be opened, which “are essential, fundamental, as regards human rights because they affect security and the judicial system…” “Opening them would contribute to improving the human rights situation”, Isci added.
He also called on the EU to send a delegation to Turkey for the elections. While the OSCE will be there “the more there is an international presence, the more the elections climate will be safe”, Isci said. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)