EU and EP: Turkey’s Law on Release of Prisoners is a Great Disappointment

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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European Parliament (EP) standing rapporteur on Turkey Nacho Sánchez Amor and Chair of the EP Delegation to EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Sergey Lagodinsky have released a written statement about the law on criminal enforcement that entered into force yesterday (April 15).

While aiming to reduce the prison population in the country amid novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the law has excluded the political prisoners, criminals of thought and arrested journalists from reduced prison sentences and early release depite the opposition's efforts.

Accordingly, Sánchez Amor and Lagodinsky have warned the "Turkish ruling parties decided to deliberately expose the lives of those whom they consider political opponents to the risk of the deadly COVID-19."

Underlining that "the law that should save lives from overcrowded prisons is discriminatory," the MEPs have made the following remarks:

'We had hoped for a non-discriminatory law'

"The legal amendments by the Turkish Parliament allowing the release of 90.000 prisoners, but excluding those imprisoned for their political activities and citizens in pre-trial detention, is a great disappointment.

"We had hoped that the Turkish Parliament would adopt a fair, responsible and non-discriminatory law that would save lives from being lost in overcrowded Turkish prisons. Such a law is needed, especially for those unjustly detained and imprisoned for political reasons.

"Instead, the Turkish ruling parties have decided to deliberately expose the lives of journalists, human rights defenders and those whom they deem to be political opponents to the risk of the deadly disease COVID 19.

'EU and member states must address this problem'

"The EU and its member states must address this problem with their Turkish counterparts at all levels. We also call upon the European Court for Human Rights to speed up necessary verdicts in the cases of citizens imprisoned and detained in Turkey for political reasons, but also to save lives, given the risk of epidemics in overcrowded Turkish prisons.

"We express our continued solidarity with the Turkish people in these difficult times, in which we are all together on the same side in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We acknowledge Turkey's readiness to help and sincerely appreciate Turkish medical support to foreign countries, including to EU countries like Italy and Spain.

"We reiterate that the EU is also ready to support Turkey in its fight against the virus. This challenge is huge and we want to fight it together in a democratic and non-discriminatory manner, saving the lives of all citizens regardless of their political views, affiliations or convictions." (AS/SD)