German Foreign Ministry: Turkey must release Osman Kavala and Selahattin Demirtaş

BERLIN / ANKARA — The German Foreign Ministry announced its evaluation of the Human Rights Action Plan announced by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week to international skepticism.

The Ministry stated that Turkey’s overly broad anti-terrorism laws should not be unjustly used against individuals and groups, including media personalities, opposition members, noting that the situation has reached a very worrying dimension in recent years.

The Ministry stressed the need to respect human rights and that the Turkish government must fulfil its international obligations, which it has so far failed to do.

The Ministry stressed that Turkey’s joining the European Union depends on how it commits, or not, to these obligations. “Turkey must abide by that, as European countries do,” the Ministry added.

Referring to the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, the Ministry emphasized the necessity of the immediate release of Turkish businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala and opposition politician Selahattin Demirtaş.

The Turkish government has not abided by the decisions and recommendations of the European Court of Human Rights and instead has asked the Court not to interfere in its internal affairs. Meanwhile, Erdogan has pushed the European Union to restart accession talks.