PM Sipilä and FM Soini of Finland: Turkey needs to return to a path that respects human rights


Date posted: August 14, 2016

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Foreign Minister Timo Soini [of Finland] have responded to a letter from the Finnish Union of Journalists. The Union’s missive asked the ministers to urge Turkey to avoid extreme measures in the aftermath of July’s failed coup.

Prime Minister Juha Sipilä and Foreign Minister Timo Soini are urging Turkey to return to a path of democracy that respects human rights.

Sipilä and Soini wrote a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish government in response to the prompt by the Finnish Union of Journalists (UFJ), which sent them a letter last week asking that the ministers express their concerns regarding the state of Turkey’s freedom of speech and press freedom — both have been greatly curbed in the post-coup attempt fallout. 

UJF President Hanne Aho and UJF Ombudsman Juha Rekola urged Sipilä and Soini to put pressure on the Turkish government to end the attacks on freedom of expression and of the press.

“Finland must hold President Erdogan and the Turkish government accountable for compliance with international agreements on human rights, including freedom of expression and trade union rights. Finland must not remain silent when independent media in Turkey is being silenced,” wrote Aho and Rekola.

Sipilä and Soini sent letter to Turkey’s leadership

In response, Sipilä and Soini have sent a letter to the Turkish government.

“Finland has, like other EU countries, clearly and quickly condemned the attempted coup in Turkey, as well as the subsequent violence and emphasized that the democratically-elected government in Turkey should not be superceded. At the same time, Finland and the EU countries have emphasized to Turkey’s leadership that it should not resort to extreme measures in the aftermath of the attempted coup,” wrote Sipilä and Soini in the letter.

Soini and Sipilä also noted that in meetings with Turkey Finland has stressed the importance of press freedom and freedom of speech:

“In a phone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Turkey on August 3, Finland’s Foreign Minister Timo Soini emphasized the importance of democracy and press freedom, and highlighted that in the aftermath of the failed coup there was reason to pay extra attention to these two areas.”

Tens of thousands of people have been rounded up and imprisoned after the attempted coup in Turkey in mid-July. The purges have included government and university employees.  Following the coup attempt, the Turkish government declared a state of emergency and temporarily suspended its adherence to the European Human Rights Convention – an international treaty ratified by Turkey.

Source: http://yle.fi/uutiset/sipila_and_soini_turkey_needs_to_return_to_a_path_that_respects_human_rights/9092088 , August 13, 2014


Related News

Erdoğan’s way: scare, divide and rule

The last straw [man] by Erdoğan came this week when a draft version of a law seeking the closure of all kinds of privately established prep schools (dershanes) leaked to the media. The bill is so drastic that even private tutoring for kids at homes by parents is banned. The intrusive move is seen as a huge blow to free enterprise and the right to education, prompting concerns that the closure of these schools will block upward mobility in Turkish society.

Biden says US courts to decide on Gülen’s extradition

In a development that surprised many, the US State Department said on Tuesday that Turkey has formally requested the extradition of Gülen but not on issues related to the recent coup attempt, which Turkish leaders have accused him of inspiring.

Turkish authorities unlawfully arrest woman with twin babies over alleged Gülen links

Turkish authorities yesterday arrested Merve Hande Kayış, the mother of three children including 13-month-old twins, for alleged links to the Gülen movement in violation of the country’s laws.

Islamists’ xenophobic policies threaten Turkey

The assaults on Korean tourists and a Uighur chef, who were mistaken for Chinese people, in İstanbul last week have shown the extent of damage dealt to this moderate nation of Turks by the Islamist rulers, who provide political clout to hate crimes and xenophobia in order to sustain their waning power in the government.

Teacher detained just after giving birth, handcuffed to bed at hospital

Turkish teacher Fatma Ozturk was detained just after she gave birth to her baby at Ege Umut Hospital in Manisa’s Turgutlu district while police handcuffed her to a bed she is resting on.

Turkey’s first private Arabic station starts to broadcast

Hira TV will also feature Samanyolu TV, which has been broadcasting programs in Arabic for almost 20 years. Hira TV CEO Yusuf Acar said the new channel’s target audience is families, adding: “Through cultural and scientific TV programs, we will appeal to all Arab people, including both children and adults. In addition, we will broadcast lectures from Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish-Islamic scholar.”

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Turkish Review launched in UK with ceremony at House of Lords

Fethullah Gülen’s Message on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Dialogslussen establishes tradition of dialogue dinner in Stockholm

(Not a joke) Turkish governor: ISIL terrorist detonated himself in construction site not to harm neighbors

TUSKON says 2 businessmen threatened members with ‘blacklisting’

Turkey stands by Somalia during Eid Al-Adha

Turkish women make a difference in Africa

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News