RESOLUTION OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF
THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS

The House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus,

 (a) Following with concern the large-scale arrests in Turkey on the pretext of the attempted coup,

 (b) Following also with concern the overall behaviour of the Turkish Government towards those citizens of the country that it considers as bearers of opposing views,

 (c) Particularly concerned by the targeting of specific groups and especially by the recent arrests of the Co-Chairs and other nine Members of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) by the Government of Turkey, forcing the party to fully suspend its activities in the Turkish National Assembly,

 (d) Noting that these arrests are the culmination of a series of persecutions and attacks against Turkish Kurds and in general against all dissidents, such as academics, judges, journalists, left-wingers and others, that is reaching alarming proportions due to the terror climate cultivated by the Erdogan administration following the attempted coup of 15 July 2016,

 (e) Acknowledging furthermore that the said persecutions by the authorities of Turkey constitute the continuation of a violent open war against Kurdish populations, that has been raging for years in the eastern regions of the country, 

 (f) Recalling yet again the violation on the part of the Turkish Government of human rights and civil liberties, both at home and abroad, including rights provided for in international treaties voluntarily cosigned by Turkey, 

 (g) Expressing deep concern that Turkish authorities exhibit obvious behaviours and practices of authoritarian regimes,

 (h) Acknowledging that this terror climate dissipates into the territory of the Republic of Cyprus occupied by Turkey,

 (i) Recalling the condemnation of these actions of the Turkish Government by international organizations such as, inter alia, the UN and the Council of Europe and by the European Union institutions, as well as by parliaments and governments of foreign countries,

(j) Taking into consideration that safeguarding democracy with full commitment to human rights and the rule of law is an essential prerequisite for the continuation of Turkey's accession course to the EU, as well as for the continuation of cooperation between them,

 (k) Recalling its previous resolutions on Turkey and especially its condemnatory resolution of 16 June 2016 on the lifting of the immunity of members of the Turkish National Assembly,

 (l) Taking into consideration the European Parliament Resolution of 24 November 2016 on EU – Turkey relations, according to which the European Parliament, inter alia, calls on the Commission and Member States to proceed to the temporary suspension of the ongoing accession negotiations with Turkey,

Resolves as follows:

1. Denounces the en masse lifting of the immunity of members of the Turkish National Assembly, who were elected with the votes of millions of citizens.

2. Demands the immediate release of the leaders and all parliamentarians and elected representatives of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, as well as of all journalists, judges, academics and representatives of the Left.

3. Demands the immediate restoration of democratic institutions, human and civil rights of all Turkish citizens, without discrimination of origin, religion, political or social beliefs.
 
4. Calls on the Turkish Government to immediately end the persecution of the press and political parties.

5. Denounces the declared intention of the Turkish Government to reintroduce the death penalty.

 6. Demands the respect of human rights and the rule of law in Turkey.

7. Calls on the international community to actively react to the mass arrests and state violence and terrorism.

8. Calls on the UN to exert substantial pressure on Turkey to comply with international law.

9. Calls on the Council of Europe to immediately intervene for the restoration of the principles which bind Turkey as a member – state of the Organisation, including the European Convention on Human Rights.

10. Calls on all European Union institutions to adopt the European Parliament Resolution of 24 November on EU-Turkey relations and at the same time to consider the imposition of economic and other sanctions against Turkey in the framework of its accession process, as well as within other aspects of cooperation between them, until the restoration of democratic institutions and the rule of law by the Turkish Government.

2 December 2016