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Death penalty in Turkey would end EU accession talks: German gov't

Xinhua, July 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

The introduction of the death penalty in Turkey would consequently end the European Union (EU) accession negotiations, said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Monday in Berlin.

"Germany and the EU have a clear stance: we fundamentally reject the death penalty," he said, adding a country which had the death penalty could not be a member of bloc.

Meanwhile, he called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's considerations of a return to the death penalty as "concerning."

After the failed coup attempt on Friday, Erdogan said Sunday that Turkey would now consider reinstating the death penalty. Turkey abolished the practice in 2002 as part of its pursuit of EU membership.

Parts of the Turkish military had launched a coup on Friday night which was struck down a few hours later. Thousands of people were arrested, among them top army commanders, judges, and prosecutors. The Turkish government has already announced severe penalties for the insurgents. Endit