Following a fact-finding visit to Turkey in November, Mogens Jensen, the chair of an ad hoc sub-committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), submitted a report urging continued dialogue with Turkey while raising concerns over the rule of law.
In a press release on Thursday Jensen stated that while Turkey had the right to respond to a coup attempt on July 15, the measures taken by the government “beyond any doubt” went beyond what the Turkish Constitution and international law allow.
Following the abortive coup, the Turkish government undertook a massive purge in which over 100,000 have been dismissed and nearly 40,000 arrested. According to the delegation led by Jensen, these purges were based on weak or nonexistent evidence.
According to the sub-committee, it is necessary to again begin monitoring Turkey, which has been a member of the Council of Europe since its inception.