Erdoğan: No One Can Lecture Us on Human Rights Anymore

* Photograph: Murat Kula - Ankara/AA

Click to read the article in Turkish

President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made statement at the "Civilization of Humanity Program" and "Hope to Humanity: Turkey", which were held on the occasion of Human Rights Day today (December 10).

Comparing the Gezi Park protests in Turkey in 2013 and the recent protests of Yellow Vests in France, Erdoğan said, "The ones who emerged as human rights defenders during Gezi Park protests have gone blind, deaf and mute in the face of what has been happening in Paris."

Stating that "no no can lecture our country on democracy, human rights and freedoms anymore", President Erdoğan added that "the US and Europe have their civilization make up running."

"The ones who do not let humans use their rights cannot be civilized"

Here are some of the highlights from Erdoğan's speech:

"Those societies that do not let humans use their rights cannot be civilized. The human rights framework of our belief, which views everyone as brothers and sisters regardless of their gender, color, race and language, has also been shaped accordingly.

"You stirred up the world during Gezi..."

"The ones who emerged as human rights defenders especially during the Gezi Park protests in İstanbul have gone blind, deaf and mute in the face of what has been happening in Paris.

"We did not watch France, the Netherlands or Brussels in the news. You stirred up the world during Gezi protests... Why? Was it because they occured in Turkey? Come on, broadcast them in the same way that you did back then. They did not broadcast them, they are not honest.

"No one can lecture us anymore"

"No one can lecture our country on democracy, human rights and freedoms any longer. No fancy words or lifestyles can whitewash the hypocrisy of the West in terms of human rights and freedoms.

"What is actually supposed to be said to the US and Europe is that they have their make up of civilization running." (EKN/SD)