European Parliament’s ‘rights in Turkey’ resolution null and void: Turkish Foreign Ministry

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Feb. 8 dismissed the European Parliament’s (EP) resolution titled “The current human rights situation in Turkey” and said the resolution adopted on Feb. 8 “is far from understanding the current conditions Turkey faces.”

Turkey defined the resolution as “null and void.”

“As an institution allowing the rags of the terror organization to be hung in its own buildings, it is not surprising that such a resolution has been adopted by the European Parliament,” said a press release from the Foreign Ministry.

“This is also the clearest indicator of our country’s and the Turkish people’s rightfulness in no longer being able to take seriously the EP which has long lost its credibility. Therefore, this resolution is null and void for us,” it said.

“Adopting effective measures, such as the State of Emergency, which is needed to fully eliminate the threats against the existence of our state and our nation’s right to democratic life, is the duty and an incontestable right of the Republic of Turkey,” said the Foreign Ministry, responding to the EP’s criticisms regarding Turkey’s state of emergency.

“Measures taken as part of the state of emergency are conducted within the laws and in conformity with our international obligations. These measures are continuously reviewed; our cooperation based on transparency with international organizations continues on these subjects,” it added.

The statement stressed Turkey’s regional challenges in terms of security conditions, and stated the resolution “is nothing but a patchwork of ungrounded claims compiled one after the other from various sources, just for the sake of criticism.”

“The resolution is yet another reflection of the twisted perspective that overlooks the fact that the terrorist coup attempt of FETÖ [Fethullahist Terror Organization] on July 15, 2016 in our country targeted, above all, our democratic and legitimate government and our constitutional system.”

The statement added the coup plotters violated Turkish citizens’ "fundamental rights and freedoms" and they "attempted to establish an oppressive government."

Regarding Turkey’s “Operation Olive Branch” launched on Jan. 20 against the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in Syria’s Afrin, the ministry restated that the operation “is fully conducted in line with the international law and based on the right to self-defense as enshrined in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, as well as the relevant United Nations Security Council [UNSC] Resolutions.”

“From the outset, Turkey clearly expressed its legitimate security concerns, as well as the target, end-goal and principles of the operation ... All necessary precautions are taken to avoid collateral damage and any harm to civilians,” said the press release.

Turkey refuted the EP’s criticisms regarding the country’s fight against groups it considers to be terror-linked and asserted Turkey’s “great devotion” in counter-terrorism “demonstrates some elements within the EP are incapable of comprehending the vital importance of this fight for Europe as well.”