Brussels, 022/07/2016 (Agence Europe) - EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini Commissioner for Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn made it clear on Thursday 21 July that, even under the state of emergency declared the previous day for a period of three months, core fundamental rights must be respected.
“The declaration of State of Emergency gives the executive far reaching powers to govern by decree. Under the terms of the Turkish Constitution, core fundamental rights shall be inviolable even in the State of Emergency”, they state in a joint press release. Recalling the commitment made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the state of emergency will in no way affect democracy, the rule of law or fundamental freedoms, Mogherini and Hahn said they expected that this pledge would be “fully respected” and that the authorities would act “with restraint”. “Any temporary suspension of the European Convention of Human Rights needs to follow the rules foreseen for such a derogation”, they pointed out. Turkey has announced that it would partially withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights because of its declaration of a state of emergency.
The high representative and the commissioner also drew attention to recent “unacceptable” decisions on the education system, judiciary and the media, calling yet again on Turkish authorities to respect “under any circumstances” the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, “including the right of all individuals concerned to a fair trial”. Since the attempted coup in the night of 15-16 July, around 10,000 people have been arrested and 55,000 sacked or suspended from their jobs, mainly in the police, the judicial system, the army, education and the media. Mogherini and Hahn said, too, that they expected the Turkish parliament and all forces represented in the democratic institutions of the country to play their constitutional role in full.
The EU will continue to monitor the situation “very closely”, “including the practical implications of the State of Emergency”, warned Mogherini and Hahn. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)