Legal proceedings launched against 10 foreigners who reportedly posed as election observers

ANKARA

Legal proceedings were started on June 24 against 10 foreign citizens “who posed as election observers and attempted to interfere with the election,” according to Interior Ministry officials, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. 

Officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media, said the suspects did not have accreditation and were not Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) observers.

Despite this, the foreigners introduced themselves as observers and attempted to interfere with the elections in four provinces of Turkey, the officials stated.

They added that legal proceedings have been started against three French nationals in the eastern province of Ağrı, three Germans in the southeastern province of Şırnak, three Italians in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, and one Italian in the southeastern province of Batman.

Some 415 observers from eight international organizations have been deployed to watch Turkey’s presidential and parliamentary elections, Anadolu reported on June 23.

According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency, foreign observers - including parliamentarians from several countries - completed their accreditation with Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK).

The OSCE has sent 234 observers, while the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCEPA) sent 72 observers, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) deployed 35 observers, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) sent 10 observers.

There are also five observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC), 15 from the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic-Speaking Countries (TURKPA), 21 from the Turkic-Speaking Countries Cooperation Council (Turkish Council), and 23 from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Election monitors will be preparing reports on whether international standards are followed.