82 more Kurds arrested by Turkish police – The European Commission must act now

Today we woke up to the news that the chief prosecutor in Ankara issued arrest warrants for 82 Kurdish people on the grounds of their “role” in the Kobane protests in Turkey on 6-8 October 2014. Former mayors, MPS and Central Executive Board members are among the detainees.

The office of the prosecutor refers to the Kobane protests as the reason for this new wave of arrests. These protests took place on 6-8 October 2014 against the siege of the town of Kobane in northern Syria by ISIS and the inaction of Turkish government, where at least 43 sympathizers of the HDP were murdered by Turkish police’s firearms.

As HDP co-chair Mr Mithat Sancar stated today, this operation is a political one that is implemented “under the guise of a judicial decision.”

The European Free Alliance reiterates its profound concern at the continuous deterioration of fundamental freedoms and the rule of Law in Turkey and calls the Turkish authorities to release immediately all Kurdish political prisoners.”The Government of Turkey must implement the European Charter of Local Self-Government and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights”, has said EFA President Lorena López de Lacalle.

“The European Commission should impose targeted sanctions against Turkey such as the suspension of the trade preferences if Turkey does not respect the conditionality clauses on humanitarian standards and fundamental rights. It is time to act. It is time for the EU to show a much stronger commitment”.