No: 79, 20 March 2018, Press Release Regarding the OHCHR Turkey Report published on 20 March 2018

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights published a document focusing on the State of Emergency measures in Turkey, under the title of “Report” on 20 March 2018. The said text has no meaning, as it completely ignores the severe and multiple terrorist threats faced by Turkey and particularly, the effects on the protection of human rights of the July 15 coup attempt that targeted the survival of our country and the democratic life of our nation.

As it has become obvious from his previous statements, the High Commissioner, who signed this text, has lost his objectivity and impartiality on the issues concerning Turkey and he has developed prejudices against our country. The last text that he published contains unfounded allegations matching up perfectly with the propaganda efforts of terrorist organizations. This is an unacceptable situation.

This person, who is the head of an international body bearing an unquestionable global importance, unfortunately, relegated the said UN body under his administration into a position of a collaborator of terrorist organizations. We condemn this situation. We are also saddened because of the damage inflicted on this universal organization.

The said UN High Commissioner has not accepted multiple invitations to visit Turkey, he even refrained from submitting any request to visit Turkey for preparing this last text and he has prepared it in cooperation with terror affiliated circles. His claim of having no access to Turkey is baseless.

It is obvious that any coordination with other related UN mechanisms has been intentionally avoided in the drafting process of the said text and hundreds of pages of information and a variety of assessments submitted by Turkey to the UN regarding the alleged claims were deliberately ignored.

Such a text, prepared under these conditions, containing distorted, biased and false information is unacceptable for Turkey. We are also submitting a formal notification to the OHCHR to this effect.

This text constitutes a danger for the whole of the human rights system due to the non-objective assessments it contains. Turkey maintains its determination to protect human rights, to promote current standards to the most advanced levels and to cooperate with international organizations including the UN in these matters.