‘Statutory Decree’ Obstacle to Academics’ Voter Registration at Consulate

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A group of academics from the Academics for Peace - Germany have written a document where they have recounted the problems that they encountered during the voter registration process for the June 24 Presidential and Parliamentary elections at various consulates in Germany.

Academics have listed a series of cases, in which their rights to vote were prevented at consulates on the grounds of "being a dismissed academic during the State of Emergency measures in Turkey by way of a decree" or "asking for the Turkish passport instead of carrying out the procedure with a national ID-Card."

In the document, it has been stated,

"Rights violations such as those depicted above in Consulates of Essen, Mainz, Münster and Cologne representing Turkey in Germany must be closely monitored and condemned by transnational authorities. Such violations do not only prevent the right to vote and to be elected; they are systematic implementations that place a shadow on the security and transparency of the ballot boxes during Turkey's General Elections to take place in a few weeks in Germany, the rest of Europe as well as other residential countries of the Turkish diaspora the world over."

The voter registration period for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections on June 24 ended on May 12. The voters living outside Turkey can cast their votes at 123 representatives in 60 countries as well as 36 customs gates from June 7-19. Apart from France and Austria, Germany is one of the countries where the citizens of Turkey will have the right to vote for the longest period of time. With 13 voting points, Germany is also the country with the highest number of voting points outside Turkey.

Registration was not completed "due to dismissal"

The rights violations encountered at the consulates in Essen, Münster, Mainz and Cologne have been listed as follows:

"An Academics for Peace Network member goes to Essen Consulate on 10 May 2018 to register as a voter in Germany. Even though s/he has submitted his residential info to the same institution earlier, the officers reject his voter registration demand due to his/her being a dismissed academic during the State of Emergency measures in Turkey by way of a decree.

"Even though the academic resists for his/her right to vote as a citizen of Turkey, voter registration procedures are not completed for his/her eligibility to vote."

"The officer did not carry out the procedure"

"Another case comes from Münster Head Consulate. This time, the officer rejects the demand of a Peace Academic, asking for his Turkish passport instead of carrying out the procedure with a national ID-Card. "

"Your name may not appear in the voter lists anyhow"

"At Mainz Consulate of Turkey, the officer carries out the procedures at first instance, but warns another Peace Academic that his/her name may not appear in the voter lists anyhow."

At the document, it has also been added that similar incidents have also taken place in Cologne Head Consulate of Turkey. (BK/SD)

* Photograph: AA