German, Swedish observers from OSCE not allowed to enter Turkey

Observers for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Die Linke MP Andrej Hunko from Germany and Jabar Amin from Sweden were not allowed to enter Turkey. Both countries are protesting the incident.

The German Foreign Ministry is working to lift the ban issued against Die Linke MP Andrej Hunko who was refused entry to Turkey as an OSCE election observer.

The ministry said, “OSCE is also in communication with the Turkish state regarding this development.”

The German Foreign Ministry added: “OSCE members offer a valuable contribution to the observation of the elections and thus strengthen democracy and the rule of law.”

Political parties are also protesting the incident. Die Linke MP Sevim Dağdelen stated that the elections on June 24 “will not be free or fair” and added: “(Turkish President) Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to get re-elected and expand his power through the constitutional amendment he managed to get approved.”

OSCE election observer and Die Linke MP Andrej Hunko spoke to German media organization DW Turkish and said he took a plane from Vienna to go to Turkey, but left the plane when he found out that he wouldn’t be permitted to enter the country.

Hunko said he was refused entry to Turkey on the grounds of “supporting terrorism” and added that the practice is illegal.

Hunko said, “One of the core principles of election observation is that the country that invited the committee can’t determine the delegation.”

Hunko said the OSCE can’t accept this situation: “This is not lawful. Of course the OSCE doesn’t have executive tools on this matter, and that always poses a problem.”

Jabar Amin from the Swedish Greens Party was also refused entry to Turkey as an OSCE observer.

According to the DW, Amin issued a statement that he learned of a ban against him during passport controls in the airport in İstanbul, the police officers took his passport and told him that “the orders came from high up”.

Amin said, “We are disappointed that Turkish authorities took this step that could adversely affect OSCE’s efforts.”

Swedish Foreign Minister MargotWallstrom spoke about the entry ban and said, “An election observer being refused entry to Turkey is unacceptable.”