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Jean Lambert London's Green MEP

Green MEP condemns Turkey’s decision to ban the country’s largest pro-Kurdish party

Turkey’s Constitutional Court has voted to ban the country’s largest pro-Kurdish party because of alleged links with Kurdish separatist rebels. The DTP is the latest in a series of pro-Kurdish parties to have been closed down in Turkey.

Jean Lambert MEP, along with many others in the European Parliament, has expressed her deep concerns over the ruling:

“I am dismayed to hear that this decision has been taken to ban the DTP. This can only prevent progress towards to true democracy in Turkey.

“With the co-presidents of the DTP party being dismissed from their positions and prohibited from parliamentary activity for the next five years, the DTP has lost its statute as a political group in the national assembly. Like most European political groups, the Greens/EFA strongly supports the strengthening of democracy in Turkey and dialogue between the Government and the DTP.

“We regret the court’s decision and call on the Turkish government to continue with furthering democratic development. It is vital that a new civil and democratic constitution is established in Turkey and that legislation concerning political parties is reformed – if Turkey wishes to join the EU it must conform to the European convention of human rights.”

“The political expression of Turkish Kurds in the democratic institutions is crucial, which is why we are calling on the elected members of the DTP not to resign.”