The European Union said on Wednesday Turkey has rolled back the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and other fundamental democratic standards since the failed July coup, making its EU membership prospects ever more distant.
“There has been backsliding in the area of public service and human resources management in particular in the aftermath of the coup attempt,” the bloc said in its annual assessment of candidate states’ progress on meeting membership criteria.
“There has been backsliding in the past year, in particular with regard to the independence of the judiciary … This situation worsened further after the July coup attempt.”
“There has been serious backsliding in the past year in the area of freedom of expression.”
The crackdown, which has seen more than 110,000 soldiers, judges, teachers, journalists and others detained, dismissed or suspended, has taken the EU aback, though the bloc still needs to work with Ankara on migration and countering terrorism.
The bloc said a number of Turkish laws on the rule of law and fundamental rights were “not in line with European standards” and it expressed “grave concern” over the arrests last week of Kurdish lawmakers.
“The anti-terror law is not in line with the acquis (EU norms) with regard to its scope and definitions and its application raises serious fundamental rights concerns,” it said.
It also expressed “serious concern” over safeguarding human rights in Turkey, including on gender-based violence, discrimination, hate speech against minorities, hate crime and violations of gay rights.
“Regarding the renewed considerations to introduce a bill in parliament to reinstate the death penalty,” the report said, “The EU recalls that the unequivocal rejection of the death penalty is an essential element of the EU acquis and a central international obligation to which Turkey has committed.”
