Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2023
94. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the recent arrests by the Turkish Government of members of the HDP, Green Left Party and other opposition voices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30804/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraRespect for democratic processes and opposition voices is an important human rights concern which should be respected in all democratic countries, particularly ones such as Türkiye, which is a member of the Council of Europe and a candidate country for EU membership.
The appetite of the Turkish people for participatory democracy was clearly evidenced by the very high voter turnout in recent parliamentary and Presidential elections. While the OSCE/Council of Europe election observers found those elections to be competitive and largely free, offering voters a choice between genuine political alternatives, they also noted that intimidation and arrests of opposition figures and their supporters were an obstacle to electoral equality.
Ireland has been clear in raising our concerns about the overall democratic freedom and human rights situation in Türkiye. It is an issue which my predecessor raised with the former Turkish Foreign Minister on a number of occasions, and one which I will continue to raise with my counterpart wherever the opportunity arises. It is also an area in which Ireland engages extensively through our membership of the Council of Europe, where we have consistently called on Turkish authorities to fully implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights.
The EU has continually highlighted the importance of freedom of expression, association and assembly through public statements, Council Conclusions, and the Commission’s Annual Reports, and has raised these issues bilaterally with Türkiye. The lack of progress, and indeed backsliding, in fundamental freedoms has meant that Türkiye’s EU accession negotiations have now effectively stalled. EU-Turkish relations in general will continue to be determined by concrete progress on the rule of law and fundamental freedoms.
Ireland, alongside our European counterparts, will continue to monitor all aspects of the EU-Türkiye relationship, with a particular focus on human rights. We will continue to voice our concerns bilaterally and multilaterally wherever possible, and hope to see progress in the near future.
