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CoE condemns Turkey coup attempt and urges respect for rule of law

Xinhua, July 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

After condemning the attempted coup in Turkey, the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe (CoE) urged the government in Ankara on Tuesday to respect the country's institutions and reiterated an offer to mediate amid the tense atmosphere in the country.

Marina Kaljurand, chair of the CoE's Committee of Ministers and Estonia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, called on the Turkish government to "abide by the constitutional order", and affirmed the availability of the CoE to assist the Turkish authorities.

"The best response to an attempt to destabilise democracy is to respect democratic institutions and the rule of law," she said on behalf of the pan-European CoE, whose 47 member states include Turkey.

Kaljurand reminded the Turkish government of its obligations as a CoE member. "Turkey is bound by all the commitments that derive from the European Convention on Human Rights and its additional protocols," she stated. "This includes the right to life, which has to be protected in all circumstances, and the right to a fair trial."

Various bodies of the CoE unanimously condemned the attempted coup on July 15. The president of the Council's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) Pedro Agramunt issued a statement on Monday saying: "I condemn the attempted coup in Turkey and deplore the loss of life in the events of the weekend. It is now very important to identify facts and bring to justice those responsible."

The day after the failed putsch, CoE Secretary General Thorbjorn Jagland said: "Any attempt to overthrow the democratically elected leaders of Turkey is unacceptable in a member state of the Council of Europe, which defends democracy, human rights and the rule of law."

Mass arrests of policemen, soldiers, judges and civil servants following the July 15 events, as well as the suspension on Tuesday of thousands of employees at Turkey's education ministry, have provoked widespread concern in European capitals. Enditem