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In the context of the 3rd part of the 2023 Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), Councillor Christiana Erotokritou participated in a plenary debate on the monitoring of the general elections in Turkey, which took place on 14 and 28 May 2023.
Ms Erotokritou said that the Assembly's finding that Turkey did not meet the basic principles required for the holding of fair and democratic elections was particularly worrying. The continued imprisonment of important political and social figures, even after the relevant rulings of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), the restriction of media freedom and the absence of the democratic conditions required for a fair election campaign are indicative of the country's declining democratic course.
Ms. Erotokritou pointed out that the former co-chairman of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democracy Party, lawyer Selahattin Demirtaş, has remained in prison since 2016, which contradicts the relevant 2020 ECHR ruling for his immediate release and the restoration of his basic rights. Ms Erdoğan then criticised the Turkish President's relevant statements on 30 April 2023 on Mr Demirtaş's non-release, noting that as long as Mr Erdoğan is in power, the principles and values of the Council of Europe and the recommendations of its institutions will continue to be flouted.
Stressing that businessman, philanthropist and civil rights activist Osman Kavala is also still in prison serving a life sentence in violation of an ECtHR ruling, the Cypriot MP called on the member states of the Council of Europe to uphold without exception the principles and values of the organisation in order to ensure its credibility and effectiveness.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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