Justice minister slams West for criticisms over Turkey’s harsh post-coup attempt measures

ANKARA

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Western countries’ criticism of Turkey’s harsh post-coup attempt measures are “groundless, biased and aim to manipulate Turkey’s struggle against putschists,” Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ has claimed. 

“Be objective and fair about Turkey. That is all we want from the whole world. There are manipulations in which truth is replaced by defamation,” Bozdağ told reporters at a meeting commemorating the July 15, 2016 coup attempt. 

He said Turkey was “left alone” during the coup attempt, adding that “Western countries waited until the coup attempt was dispersed to give a response.”

“They always talk about human rights, democracy and the will of the people, but when there was a coup in Turkey against democracy and human rights, democratic countries were silent until they were sure that the coup attempt was unsuccessful,” Bozdağ claimed. 

He also took aim at EU criticisms of human rights violations under the post-coup attempt state of emergency.

“They are slanderously accusing Turkey of torture and ill-treatment. When we invite them to tell us the source of their concern, and when we tell them that there is no such thing, they do not give us the names, places or dates of the torture claims,” Bozdağ said.  

“They are accusing without revealing any place or any information about how it happened, without helping Turkey investigate the claims. So apparently there is torture and ill-treatment, but it is not certain where it happened, who is involved or how, and the accused is Turkey,” he added, suggesting that the subject was “deliberately brought to the agenda in order to defame Turkey.”

“These are planned slander projects made within the scope of dirty manipulation operations against Turks,” Bozdağ said.