Ankara, July 6, (dpa/GNA) – NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, on Monday sidestepped questions about a crackdown on opposition politicians, journalists and government critics in Türkiye, in the weeks leading up to the alliance’s leaders’ summit in Ankara.
Hundreds have been detained across Türkiye, in the lead-up to the gathering taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with several people, including journalists, academics and left-wing group members, taken into custody across several provinces as recently as Sunday, according to local media and unions.
Asked by a reporter during his pre-summit press conference whether Turkey was still a fitting place for a gathering of “liberal democracies,” Rutte did not comment on the wave of arrests, instead highlighting the importance of press freedom and the right to assembly.
“When it comes to democracy, democracy is more than elections,” he told reporters gathered at Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan’s presidential palace, this year’s summit venue. “Elections, of course, are crucial in democracy, but democracy is also the free media,” Rutte said, signalling to reporters in the room. “And of course, democracy is also for people to be able to organize demonstrations if they so choose. So it’s much more than only free elections. And when it comes to the media, it is very important for NATO that media can attend major events in person.”
Ankara officials have imposed a blanket ban on demonstrations during the summit, and local journalists working for independent outlets have said, they were denied accreditation to cover the summit.
Critics say the crackdown is aimed at preventing protests and silencing dissent ahead of the NATO summit, while authorities describe them as part of counterterrorism investigations.
GNA