Four prominent institutions working for human rights and peace in Germany have issued a joint declaration addressing the Federal Government led by Angela Merkel. The declaration titled “Urgent Call for the Federal Government” called on Germany to take action to prevent deaths, protect human life and establish peace.

The declaration was published by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) Turkey Representative Dr. Gisela Penteker, Dialog-Kreis, Committee for Fundamental Rights and Democracy and Peace Cooperative Network.

The declaration pointed out that Turkey is a candidate country for the European Union, as well as a current member of the Council of Europe and NATO, “but the Erdogan regime has been stepping increasingly outside the bounds of the rule of law. The parliament, government and judiciary in Turkey have completely been taken under Erdogan’s control. The rights to a free press, freedom of expression and the right to protest have all but disappeared.”

“THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT LAUNCHED A GENOCIDE AGAINST THE KURDISH PEOPLE”

The declaration pointed out that Turkey’s prisons are filled to capacity with politicians, journalists, intellectuals and scientists, and continued: “When the peace process with the PKK was ended in 2015, a genocide was launched against the Kurdish people both in and outside the country. Afrin was invaded, and the Turkish state wants to invade further Kurdish regions in Syria. Iraqi Kurdistan is bombed by Turkish jets every day.”

The German human rights organizations stated that the Erdogan regime’s aggressive policies also threaten stability and security in Europe and called on the Federal Government to take action at once to stop such aggressive policies. The declaration listed the human rights organizations’ demands from the Berlin administration in 5 points:

-The Erdogan regime’s anti-democratic practices violating human rights must be objected to.

-Turkey’s war against the Kurdish people in Iraq and Syria which constitutes violations of international treaties must not be ignored.

-An international initiative must be launched with other European Union member states for the solution to the Kurdish issue.

-The Hermes credit support for German companies in Turkey and the weapons exports to Turkey must end.

-Turkish forces must be demanded to leave Afrin, and the German state must take a stand against new attacks against the Kurdish territory in Syria.

“CPT MUST GO TO IMRALI URGENTLY”

The declaration pointed out that Kurdish People’s Leader Abdullah Ocalan was abducted from Kenya to Turkey 20 years ago and has been living under isolation in the Imrali Island Prison since then, and that Ocalan and 3 other prisoners haven’t seen their lawyers or their families for 4 years. The declaration also mentioned HDP MP Leyla Guven’s hunger strike demanding an end to the Imrali isolation since November 8 and called on the Merkel government:

“Many politicians and activists started hunger strikes after Guven. This protest is getting more critical with every passing day and the protesters are losing their health further. We demand the Federal Government take urgent action and use its influence on Erdogan to prevent deaths in these protests, to achieve an end to the isolation and to maintain the prisoners’ human rights.

We also demand that the Federal Government urge the Council of Europe and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to visit the Imrali Prison. We expect the European Union to launch talks with Turkey on this matter as well. The Federal Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission members should also visit Leyla Guven as she continues her hunger strike.”