HUMAN RIGHTS IN TURKEY

That this House remains gravely concerned at the continuing human rights abuses in Turkey following the Government’s agreement to sell fighter jets to Turkey in January 2017; urges the Turkish Government to end the internment of political opponents many of whom had condemned the coup attempt; is deeply concerned by the arrest of 1,478 democratically elected Kurdish politicians, including 78 mayors, since July 2016, and by the imprisonment of 12 Members of Parliament in Turkey who belong to a legitimate, democratic, political party, namely the HDP (Peoples Democratic Party); is further gravely concerned by the sentences of 142 years and 83 years respectively being sought by prosecutors for the HDP co-chairs Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yüksekdag; and calls on the UK Government and the Council of Europe to make representations to the Turkish Government for the release of HDP MPs and other political prisoners, expressing deep concern about the suspension of provisions within the European Convention on Human Rights.