Alwaght- Germany has summoned Turkey’s envoy in Berlin to voice Berlin’s concerns over Ankara’s overnight arrests of over 10 pro-Kurdish lawmakers.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier warned the Turkish government on Friday against using the fight against terrorism as a pretext to silence the opposition.
"The fight against terrorism must not be a justification for politically silencing the opposition, or even bringing them behind bars," Steinmeier said
Turkey detained earlier on Friday Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag, the co-leaders of the Peoples' Democratic Party, also known as the HDP, and nine lawmakers of the party whose base is largely drawn from Kurds in the region.
“The overnight arrests of politicians and lawmakers from the Kurdish HDP [Peoples’ Democratic Party] represent a further drastic intensification of the situation in the eyes of the foreign minister,” the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that the failed coup attempt that took place in July “can’t be a justification for silencing or even imprisoning the political opposition.”
"I think now it is up to the ones responsible in Turkey to be clear about what direction it wants to go and what this will mean for relations of Turkey with the EU," he said.
The EU has also voiced concern over Turkey crackdown on Kurdish diplomats.
“Extremely worried for arrest of [Selahattin Demirtas, co-leader of HDP] and other [HDP] MPs,” EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini wrote on Twitter. “In contact with authorities. Called EU ambassadors meeting in Ankara.”
Ankara has accused the HDP lawmakers of spreading terrorism propaganda in support of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has even gone further and repeatedly described the HDP as the political wing of the PKK.
The Turkish government continues its crackdown on pro-Kurdish elements and individuals suspected of involvement in the July 15 coup attempt.
France also criticized the arrests of Kurdish politicians. “France calls on Turkey to respect the rule of law and fundamental rights,” including democracy and freedom of the press, Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal said.
Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström called the arrests “extremely worrying.”
“The arrests risk fuelling the already existing tensions in the country. Turkish government should return to dialogue with the opposition. Peace process with the PKK is necessary for the country’s further democratization and stability,” she said in a statement.
