Secretary General of the Council of Europe Calls for Turkey to Adhere to Democratic Laws and Frameworks

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe on Wednesday, August 4, after meeting with Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the Turkish Foreign Minister, emphasized the need for the Turkish government to adhere to democratic laws and frameworks, calling the coup 'unacceptable' during a joint press conference. This is the first visit by a senior EU official to Turkey following the failed coup in the country. Thorbjørn Jagland stated that he understands the necessity of identifying the coup plotters but insisted that the Turkish government must respect human rights standards in its actions. Previously, the European Union condemned the failed coup in Turkey and expressed concern over the arrests and crackdowns that followed. However, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated on Wednesday that 'the Turkish government is cleansing those involved in the coup while adhering to democratic principles and within the framework of the law.' According to Agence France-Presse, he added that Turkey has never forgotten its commitments to the European Union, asserting that the failed coup targeted values that Turkey and the Council of Europe jointly defend. Çavuşoğlu further urged European media to refrain from their 'misinterpretations' and to be 'realistic, honest, and impartial' in their reports about the Turkish government. According to the Associated Press, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe is set to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, as well as leaders of opposition parties during his visit to Turkey. This visit comes as Erdoğan again accused Western countries of supporting the recent coup. During the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, at least 270 people were killed, and so far, 18,000 have been arrested on charges of involvement in the coup. Additionally, over 60,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from various institutions, including the military, judiciary, ministries, universities, and other government and private entities. Some organizations and human rights defenders, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reporters Without Borders, have criticized the Turkish government's actions following the failed coup. However, the Turkish government claims that all these measures are aimed at establishing stability and preventing any harm to the country's economy.