State of Emergency in Turkey: Joint statement by HRVP Mogherini and Commissioner Hahn on the latest developments

Turkey. State of Emergency.

"We are following the developments regarding the State of Emergency Turkey has declared after the attempted coup, which the European Union condemned, very closely and with concern.

This declaration comes in the wake of the recent unacceptable decisions on the education system, judiciary and the media. As outlined in the conclusions of the Council and in the discussion of the European Commission this week, we call on Turkish authorities to respect under any circumstances the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right of all individuals concerned to a fair trial. The declaration of State of Emergency gives the executive far reaching powers to govern by decree. Under the terms of the Turkish Constitution, core fundamental rights shall be inviolable even in the State of Emergency.

President Erdogan stated that the measure will in no way affect democracy, the rule of law or fundamental freedoms. We indeed expect that they will be fully respected, and that the authorities will act with restraint, as outlined clearly by the European Union in the Council conclusions on 18 July. Any temporary suspension of the European Convention of Human Rights needs to follow the rules foreseen for such a derogation. The EU will continue to monitor the situation very closely, including the practical implications of the State of Emergency. We expect the parliament and all forces represented in the democratic institutions of the country to play their constitutional role at full."

Around midnight on Wednesday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the decision to place Turkey under a State of Emergency.

The decision, which places Turkey under exceptional rule for three months, comes after mass detentions of soldiers, the suspension from their jobs of more than 50,000 civil servants, including 15,000 teachers, the forced resignation of more than 1,500 university deans, and a purging of the judiciary: 979 judges and prosecutors were detained, about 632 jailed and another 2,745 judges suspended.

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