GREEN Party Leader Natalie Bennett has expressed concern about the abuse of human rights, particularly so-called “curfews”, in eastern Turkey, and offered her support for the more than 1,000 academics who have been suffering persecution since signing an open letter calling for a road map to a peaceful settlement to internal conflict in Turkey.
Bennett, who is currently visiting Turkey and attending at its invitation the Congress of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), while also holding meetings to discuss the refugee crisis, said:
“Kurdish communities in eastern Turkey have been placed under so-called curfews, some for long periods, which has made it impossible for families to secure food supplies, threatened their access to water and electricity and denied those in need access to medical treatment. Amnesty International has described this as being like ‘collective punishment’ of these communities.
“That is unacceptable behaviour by a state that’s sadly failing to show respect for democratic norms and values, and internationally accepted human rights. The UK and EU should be objecting to Turkey in the strongest terms.”
Bennett added:
“The action against the academics deserves particular attention because of the denial of academic freedom by the instruments of the state can only be damaging both to the future of education and research in Turkey, but also to the quality and balance of debate.”
A letter of support for the academics (1) has been signed by more than 400 academics from 23 countries.
1) https://freedomofexpressiontr.wordpress.com/