Chair’s statement: MEP denied right to monitor a trial in Turkey

Statement by the Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee.

On 13 February 2020, Turkish authorities denied Member of the European Parliament Özlem Demirel (GUE/NGL, DE) the right to monitor a court hearing in Ankara.

Sergey Lagodinsky (Greens/EFA, DE), the Chair of the European Parliament's Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, made the following statement:

“It is unacceptable that my colleague Özlem Demirel was denied the right to monitor the court hearing. So far, such observation visits have been common practice in our bilateral cooperation. I consider the order to my second deputy in the EU-Turkey delegation, Ms Demirel, to leave the court building, a crude departure from our common practice, a provocation and a covert personal threat. I strongly condemn my colleague being treated in this way.

Such incidents could further strain our bilateral parliamentary relations and ultimately destroy any remaining confidence in democratic culture in Turkey. The European Parliament and the German Federal Government must request a comprehensive clarification of the incident.”

Background

Özlem Demirel travelled to Turkey in her capacity as a Member of the European Parliament and as an international observer in order to support the families of the victims and to monitor the trial following the bombing of a peaceful demonstration on 10 October 2015.