EU Parliament Condemns Turkey's Crackdown on Opposition Mayors

The European Parliament has criticized Turkey's detention and removal of opposition mayors, demanding their release and reinstatement. The EU calls for judiciary reforms and is considering actions against Turkish officials. These events occur amidst ongoing talks to resolve the PKK conflict.

In a bold move, the European Parliament has denounced Turkey's recent legal actions against opposition party mayors, calling for their immediate release and reinstatement. The crackdown has targeted officials from the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, under terrorism-related charges, which both parties refute.

Criticism from the European Union reached a new high on Thursday, with the Parliament's statement condemning Turkey's 'disregard of the rule of law' and its violation of democratic principles. Lawmakers censured the government's practice of replacing elected officials with government-appointed trustees, demanding comprehensive judicial reforms, particularly concerning the trustee system's influence in Kurdish-majority regions.

The EU also urged the European Commission to consider sanctions against officials involved in the crackdown. Meanwhile, President Erdogan's administration dismisses claims of influencing the judiciary, maintaining its independence, even as the crackdown fuels tensions amid ongoing peace talks with PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan to resolve the decades-long conflict.