EU Urges Turkey to Respect Rule of Law after Failed Coup

Local Editor

The European Union [EU] has urged Turkey to respect the rule of law amid a Turkish crackdown on those believed to have been involved in a recent coup attempt in the country.

"We are the ones saying today rule of law has to be protected in the country, there is no excuse for any steps that take the country away from that," said the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Federica Mogherini in Brussels on Monday.

"As we have been the first ones to say that in that tragic night, the democratic and legislative institutions needed to be protected," she told journalists before an EU foreign ministers meeting, referring to last Friday night, when the coup attempt in Turkey began.

"Today, we will say, together with ministers, that obviously doesn't mean that rule of law and the system of checks and balances in the country does not count. On the contrary, it needs to be protected for the sake of the country... So we will send a strong message on that," she added.

She went on to say: "Let me be very clear on one thing... No country can become an EU member state if it introduces death penalty."

The measures taken by Ankara following the failed coup attempt has prompted increasing international concern.

At least 6,000 people, including judges, had been arrested across the country after the failed coup.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault earlier said "the rule of law must prevail" in Turkey.

"France has condemned the coup, you can't accept the military taking power," Ayrault said. "At the same time, we have to be vigilant that the Turkish authorities don't put in place a system which turns back democracy."

Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders also called for restraint. "It's normal to punish those involved in the coup, but it's normal to ask for respect for the rule of law," he said.

On its part, Germany warned Turkey on Monday that if it reinstated the death penalty it would bring an end to accession talks with the European Union.

After President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in the wake of a failed coup attempt that Turkey would consider a return of capital punishment, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman told reporters: "Introducing the death penalty in Turkey would mean the end of EU membership talks."

Turkey had abolished capital punishment in 2004 to bring its legislation in line with the EU standards.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team