Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have passed a motion calling on the European Commission (EC) to respond urgently to human rights abuses in Turkey, following a major police crackdown on protests over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Nearly 2,000 people from across Turkish society have been detained since the demonstrations began.
The parliamentarians also criticised the arrest of İmamoğlu, along with other senior municipal officials. French MEP Mélissa Camara outlined the 32 MEP’s demands in a five-point document published on her LinkedIn account.
Condemning the anti-democratic measures taken against protesters, lawyers, activists, and students, the MEP’s jointly called for the immediate release of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, lawyers, and all others arbitrarily detained following İmamoğlu’s arrest. They stressed that this was a precondition for any future EU-Turkey dialogue.
The MEPs also called for an independent inquiry into allegations of torture and human rights abuses in prisons and other detention centres—allegations frequently directed at the Turkish police. In addition, the document urged increased protection for individuals who have been arbitrarily detained.
Finally, the statement concluded with a strong denunciation of the systematic criminalisation of democratically elected representatives within the Turkish political system and their replacement by state-appointed trustees. The MEPs described this practice as a serious erosion of local democracy, political pluralism, and the rule of law.
Turkey’s response remains unclear, but the measures outlined in the statement place significant pressure on the current administration to implement democratic reforms—or risk deteriorating relations with the EU, including the potential for sanctions.
