The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution on Wednesday condemning the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and warning against the ongoing erosion of democracy and human rights in Turkey. The resolution, passed under an urgent procedure during the spring session in Strasbourg, follows İmamoğlu’s arrest on 19 March after he was nominated as the main opposition party’s presidential candidate for 2028.
The PACE resolution also positively acknowledged the historic call for peace made by imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan on 27 February. However, the resolution also expressed disappointment at subsequent developments, including the arrest and detention of İmamoğlu, which it described as worrying.
The Assembly criticised the politically motivated actions surrounding İmamoğlu’s arrest, in particular the revocation of his university degree, a constitutional requirement for presidential candidacy. PACE stressed that these actions appear to be an attempt to undermine the opposition, restrict political freedoms and stifle democratic debate.
PACE strongly condemned the use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrators following İmamoğlu’s arrest, where police used tear gas, plastic bullets and water cannons and imposed a blanket ban on demonstrations. The resolution also noted numerous human rights violations, including reports of beatings, unlawful strip searches, and sexual harassment in police custody. PACE specifically criticised the Turkish authorities for the physical attacks and arrests of journalists and the expulsion of foreign correspondents from the country.
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The resolution also underlined the importance of media freedom, stating that journalists and media outlets must be able to report on issues of public interest without fear of punishment or harassment.
The PACE resolution called for the immediate release of İmamoğlu, the reinstatement of his university degree and the dropping of all unjustified charges. It urged the Turkish government to take concrete steps to ensure freedom of the press, to restore the independence of the judiciary and to guarantee free and fair elections.
While acknowledging Turkey’s support for Ukraine and recent positive developments in the Kurdish peace process, the resolution concluded that the events surrounding İmamoğlu’s arrest represented a worrying retreat from democratic principles. PACE called on all Council of Europe member states to join in condemning Turkey’s actions.
