Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Sous-comité des droits internationaux de la personne du Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 10, 2018 -

Through a protracted state of emergency called in the aftermath of the July 15th, 2016 attempted coup, the Turkish government has taken measures that violate the fundamental freedoms of a broad swathe of citizens in the name of maintaining security. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s authority, this state of emergency has been renewed an unprecedented seven times.

In light of these troubling developments, in April 2018, the House of Commons Subcommittee on International Human Rights held three meetings on the human rights situation in Turkey. The Subcommittee heard from Alex Neve, Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada; Kiliç Bugra Kanat, Research Director of the SETA Foundation; Abdullah Bozkurt, President of the Stockholm Center for Freedom; Arzu Yildiz, Journalist and Court Reporter; Aykan Erdemir, Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies; and Mehmet Efe Caman, Visiting Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland. Some witnesses testified at great personal risk, and the Subcommittee is grateful for their testimony.

According to Mr. Neve, the ongoing state of emergency has “pav[ed] the way for unlawful restrictions on human rights and allow[ed] the government to pass laws beyond the effective scrutiny of Parliament and the courts.” Mr. Caman emphasized that “the very existence of the constitution is now just on paper.”

Over 77,000 people have been arrested under dubious accusations of terrorism and complicity in the attempted coup. Over 50,000 individuals, including political activists, journalists, lawyers, human rights defenders, and academics, are in pre-trial detention. This includes the Chair, Taner Kiliç, and Director, Idil Eser, of Amnesty International Turkey, and Pastor Andrew Brunson, a Presbyterian minister from North Carolina who had preached peacefully in Turkey for over 20 years. Approximately 600 women with young children are being held in detention, as associates of their accused husbands. Some were detained immediately before or after giving birth. At least six Turkish-Canadian dual citizens have been detained, four of whom have been convicted and sentenced on spurious charges. Very limited consular access has been allowed.

The Subcommittee further learned that, since July 2016,

• More than 150,000 judges, prosecutors, doctors, teachers, academics, police or other civil servants have been dismissed, blacklisted and have had their passports cancelled along with their pensions and health insurance;
• Over 120 journalists and media workers have been detained, and 180 media outlets closed down, and some had their assets seized;
• Over 1,300 NGOs have been forcibly closed; and
• 1,043 schools and tutoring centres and 15 universities have been closed.

Witnesses reported that the Turkish regime has amplified its repression of Kurds and their peaceful supporters, both inside and outside of Turkey, during the state of emergency. In addition, Turkey has used its political influence to arrange for the arrest and deportation of Turkish nationals abroad that have been deemed opponents to the regime. Mr. Caman stated that he and other Turkish “dissidents” living abroad are denied service in Turkish embassies and consulates, and risk having their passports cancelled or seized.

President Erdoğan has called for snap presidential and parliamentary elections to be held on June 24th, 2018, instead of late 2019. The Subcommittee is deeply concerned that these elections are unlikely to be fair, much like the April 2017 referendum campaign that allowed for future reforms to further facilitate a significant increase in executive power.

Neither the July 2016 attempted coup nor the complex security challenges faced by our NATO ally excuse widespread violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Subcommittee expresses its friendship and support to Turkish civil society that is in peril and in some cases has fled the country. Turkey’s international partners, including Canada, should persistently engage with Turkey to encourage an end to the state of emergency and ensure respect for international human rights, including in relation to the fast-approaching elections.

QUOTES

“The ongoing state of emergency in Turkey has undermined the basic democratic principles of respect for rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms. These issues are doubly concerning with the June 24th election to be held under the state of emergency. The Turkish government should heed the advice of civil society and its allies to stop and reverse the erosion of democracy in Turkey.”

-Michael Levitt, M.P., Chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights

“The detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson as a pawn to be used against the United States is perfect example of the Turkish regime’s profound cynicism, lack of respect for its own constitution, and its unreliability as an ally.”

-David Sweet, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights

“The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan needs to cease its extension of the state of emergency. It must ensure that any measure taken should be done so by taking into account the principle of rule of law including the test of necessity and proportionality. It should ensure that every single person has a right to have a fair trial or equitable administrative process, freedom of expression, minority rights and so on. All political prisoners who have been denied these rights should be released immediately.”

-Cheryl Hardcastle, M.P., Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights