The sentence of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to prison and a ban on political activity is a serious setback for democracy in Turkey, the European Union’s (EU) foreign relations service Cumhuriyet said on December 15.
It is emphasized that this sentence is disproportionate to the guilt and “confirms the lack of independence of the judiciary in Turkey and the excessive political pressure on judges and prosecutors”.
In addition, it was added that in the run-up to the presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey in 2023, this decision is important in the context of the politicization of the country’s judiciary, which “undermines the freedom and fairness of the electoral environment”.
The EU also demanded that Ankara immediately stop the ongoing “a retreat from human rights and the rule of law”.
Also read: Istanbul Mayor Sentenced to Prison, Opposition Gathers in City Hall
Source: Rossa Primavera
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