Turkey has right to defend itself with practices under rule of law: NATO secretary-general
Sevil Erkuş - BRUSSELS
Turkey is the NATO member that has been affected the most by violent attacks, Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said March 31, adding that the country had a right to defend itself under the rule of law.Asked about hundreds of jailed journalists in Turkey, Stoltenberg underlined that the alliance was “based on the core values of democracy, rule of law and individual liberties.”
“We have to understand that that Turkey is a NATO ally most affected by violence in Syria and has suffered many terrorist attacks, including the July 15 [2016] coup attempt, in which several hundred of people were killed,” Stoltenberg said after a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting.
The secretary-general recalled that the Turkish parliament building was bombed on the night of the failed coup attempt.
“Of course Turkey has a right to defend itself and prosecute [those] behind the failed coup d’état,” he said. “But it has to be conducted under the rule of law.”
He also welcomed the fact that Turkey and the Council of Europe had established contact in order to address the issues.
“We have to understand that that Turkey is a NATO ally most affected by violence in Syria and has suffered many terrorist attacks, including the July 15 [2016] coup attempt, in which several hundred of people were killed,” Stoltenberg said after a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting.
The secretary-general recalled that the Turkish parliament building was bombed on the night of the failed coup attempt.
“Of course Turkey has a right to defend itself and prosecute [those] behind the failed coup d’état,” he said. “But it has to be conducted under the rule of law.”
He also welcomed the fact that Turkey and the Council of Europe had established contact in order to address the issues.
