Entry of OSCE Member to Turkey Blocked

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The election observer of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the member of the German Bundestag (Left Party), Andrej Hunko has not been allowed to enter Turkey.

In his statement to Deutsch Welle, Hunko stated that after boarding the plane from Vienna to Ankara to monitor the 24 June elections as an OSCE observer, he had to get off after he was informed that his entry would not be allowed.

Accusation of “supporting terrorism” was the reason behind this blockage, according to his declaration.

“It is against the law”

Emphasizing this attitude of Turkey is against the law, Hunko mentioned that one of the main principals of election observation is that the country inviting the committee cannot decide the delegations.

Upon learning the incident, OSCE and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs expostulated the situation as neither they nor German Embassy in Ankara were informed about the issue according to Hunko’s statement.

Referendum observer in 2017 as well

An election observer of the European Parliament in Turkey during the April 2017 referendum for the constitutional amendment, Hunko stated to have witnessed some restrictions by police in Diyarbakir in the course of voting and counting.

He also expressed to DPA News Agency that he and the other election observers were blocked for two hours to approach to ballot box locations in Diyarbakır. (ŞA/HG/TK)