Magistratura Democratica expresses its concern over the news coming from Turkey in the aftermath of the attempted military coup. The announcement about the large number of civilians who died in clashes came with the news that the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors, chaired by the Minister of Justice, dismissed 2,745 judges on suspicion of being linked to the religious Fethullah Gülen, believed to be the instigator of the coup.
Today we got the news about the arrest warrant issued against 53 judges, including a member of the Constitutional Court.
As magistrates we cannot hold back our dismay.
A democracy that intends to remain true to itself cannot be based only on the crucial and primary fulfilment of election procedures. Protection of freedoms as well as of civil, social and political rights stands in truth for a stable and open democracy and a judiciary system independent and autonomous from political power is the bulwark of this protection.
We hope that attention and sensitivity of all stakeholders involved in the process of negotiating Turkey’s accession to the EU will also be focused on these aspects, which are crucial for the protection of democratic freedoms.
July 17, 2016
The Executive Board of Magistratura democratica