On Sunday, 12 October, at 2 p.m. in Jean Rey Square, the European Democratic Party will reaffirm its commitment to the rule of law and democracy in Turkey.
The European Democratic Party is joining the demonstration to be held in Brussels on Sunday 12 October at 2 p.m. in Jean Rey Square to demand the release of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The initiative, promoted by members of the diaspora and Turkish democratic forces, will be attended by CHP leader Özgür Özel.
For the EDP, a centrist and liberal force within the Renew Europe family, this is a key step in reaffirming the primacy of the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary and the protection of civil rights at the heart of the European Union. Özgür Özel’s participation gives a European dimension to a mobilisation that concerns EU citizens and relations between Brussels and Ankara.
The detention of democratically elected administrators and the repression of pluralism contradict the founding values of the Union and distance Turkey from a European path based on rights, inclusion and sustainable growth. The EDP supports frank but demanding dialogue, rejecting any political use of justice and calling for certain conditions for free and fair elections.
Sandro Gozi, Secretary-General of the EDP and MEP for Renew Europe, will send a message of support to participants, some passages of which we can preview here, linking the initiative to the European objectives of democracy and the rule of law: ‘Although I cannot be there in person, as Secretary-General of the European Democratic Party and MEP for Renew Europe, I would like to express my full support for your protest calling for the immediate release of Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.’ ‘We European Democrats,’ Gozi will conclude, ‘stand fully behind you in calling on Erdogan to immediately release Mayor İmamoğlu and allow free and fair elections. Continue your fight knowing that we are with you all the way.’
With the demonstration in Brussels, the EDP renews its joint work with allies and civil society to defend the rule of law, political pluralism and freedom of expression, even beyond membership of this or that European political family. The Party will continue to closely follow developments in the İmamoğlu case in the relevant European forums, promoting initiatives that strengthen rights, legality and transparency, in line with the European commitment to bringing Turkey closer to EU democratic standards.
