Tsk Tsk

EU Warns Turkey on Human Rights

“No excuse” for purging entire institutions and banning travel abroad.

The European Union foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini issued a warning to Turkey amid an alarming crackdown on academics and bureaucrats in the country in the wake of a failed coup attempt. “We are making it very clear to our Turkish friends - we are fully behind the institutions, the democratic institutions, the legitimate institutions,” Mogherini said Thursday. “But there is no excuse, there is no way in which the reaction can undermine fundamental freedoms and rights.” Her comments came as Turkish authorities banned academics from traveling abroad and demanded the resignations of thousands of teachers over last week’s coup attempt. On Thursday, Turkey’s parliament also approved a bill allowing for the country to temporarily suspend the European Convention on Human Rights as part of an extended state of emergency in the country.