Thirty-two members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to take urgent action over what they describe as escalating human rights violations in Turkey following the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.
In a letter dated April 30 and addressed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, council President Charles Michel, foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, the lawmakers cited serious violations of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly, expression and the press.
The letter warns that the EU cannot continue its relationship with Ankara as if “business as usual” were acceptable in light of growing repression.
The lawmakers said İmamoğlu’s detention on March 19, just one day after the annulment of his university diploma, was politically motivated and aimed at blocking his expected presidential candidacy.
They said the diploma revocation disqualified him from running under Turkey’s constitutional requirement for presidential candidates to have a bachelor’s degree.
The timing of the detention and the use of criminal charges such as “terrorism” and “corruption” raise concerns of judicial abuse, the letter said.
The MEPs pointed out that nearly 2,000 people were detained during protests that followed the mayor’s detention.
The detainees included journalists, lawyers, students and human rights defenders.
At least 12 students remain in pretrial detention, and dozens face charges such as “resisting police orders” and “violating the law on demonstrations.”
The lawmakers said Turkish authorities imposed nationwide restrictions, including bans on public gatherings, the shutting down of transportation in key cities and the throttling of social media and messaging apps in İstanbul for 42 hours.
They accused the Turkish police of using excessive force and detaining protesters under conditions that raise “grave concerns” over torture and ill-treatment.
The letter also highlights state pressure on the media.
TV channels broadcasting live from protest scenes were fined or suspended for up to 10 days by the Radio and Television Supreme Council.
The Information Technologies Authority (BTK) issued hundreds of takedown requests targeting journalists, civil society organizations and rights defenders.
The MEPs also condemned the March 20 decision by a Turkish court to remove the executive board of the İstanbul Bar Association, including its president, Professor Dr. İbrahim Kaboğlu.
The court ruling followed the bar’s call for an investigation into the December 2024 killing of two journalists in Syria, which the lawmakers say prompted an “unprecedented” attack on judicial independence.
The lawmakers criticized the European Union’s muted response.
They said the March 19 joint statement by Kallas and Commissioner Várhelyi failed to explicitly condemn İmamoğlu’s detention or address the broader issue of opposition mayors being replaced by state-appointed trustees since November 2024.
They also condemned the decision to proceed with the EU–Turkey High-Level Economic Dialogue on April 3, calling it a “troubling message” that risked prioritizing trade over democratic principles.
The letter includes four main demands for EU leadership.
The MEPs call for a clear and public condemnation of the crackdown on protesters, lawyers, journalists and the İstanbul Bar Association.
They urge the EU to suspend all high-level talks with Turkey until concrete progress is made, including the release of detained protesters and the dropping of related charges.
They call for an independent investigation into torture, ill-treatment and violations of due process during detentions.
They also demand consistent condemnation of the removal of elected opposition figures and their replacement with unelected trustees, which they say undermines democracy and political pluralism.
The lawmakers said Turkey’s actions violate its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture.
They warned that EU-Turkey relations in all fields will be affected unless Brussels responds decisively to these developments.