Membership talks began sixteen years ago and in its report the Commission said Turkey’s bid to join the bloc was at “a standstill” due to serious democratic shortfalls.
Key findings of the 128-page report include concerns about Turkey “backsliding” on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly and association, criticism about the excessive use of force in peaceful demonstrations and Turkey’s continued refusal to implement rulings from the European Court of Human Rights.
The report noted the “deterioration of human and fundamental rights,” with restrictions on journalists, writers, lawyers and other critical voices, and that the parliament continues to lack the means to hold the Turkish government accountable.
Although the report criticised the absence of an anti-corruption strategy, it noted that there had been progress in the fight against organised crime and that Turkey continued to make significant efforts to host and meet the needs of the largest refugee community in the world.
The report recommended that Turkey release journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, writers and academics held in pre-trial detention, and revise legislation enabling this. It called on Turkey to align the implementation of criminal and anti-terror legislation with European standards, and to demonstrate a commitment to an impartial judiciary and the right to a fair trial.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry rejected the findings in the European report. In a written statement, the ministry said the Commission “once again reflected the double standard approach towards the country.”
The ministry argued that the EU had not taken threats such as Islamic State, the PKK, and the Gulen Movement into account, adding “Turkey does not accept baseless and unfair criticism especially in the chapters of political criteria along with judiciary and basic rights.”
On Tuesday, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Turkey had violated freedom of expression in the case of Vedat Sorli who was convicted of insulting the president.
Sorli was sentenced in 2017 for insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in two posts he had shared on his Facebook account. He had been convicted with legislation affording a higher level of protection to the president. The court ruled that Turkey was to pay the defendant damage, and advised that bringing the domestic law into line with Article 10 of the Convention would be an appropriate form of redress.
