Scandalous Verdict Against Fazil Say
„The message of today’s verdict is clear: Anyone turning against the Islamic repressive state in Turkey will be persecuted,“ comments Sevim Dagedelen, vice chair of the German-Turkish group in Bundestag and spokesperson for international relations of the faction DIE LINKE, on sentencing the internationally renowned composer Fazil Say to a 10-month suspended jail term. Say was accused of blasphemy after tweeting a quote of 12th‘ century Islamic philosopher Omar Kayyam. The court confirmed the verdict against the 42 year old from a first trial in spring 2013. Dagdelen continues:
„The verdict against Fazil Say, as the continuing detention of thousands of political opponents, demonstrates that Turkey is on the way to an authoritarian Islamistic repressive state. Freedom of opinion and press are endangered in Turkey by Minister President Erdogan and his AKP. This also pertains to the detention of about 100 journalists.
There can be no talk of a much conjured up democratisation of Turkey due to EU accession negotiations.
The federal government is asked to end the chumminess with the Erdogan regime, especially in view of the political persecution of artists and intellectuals, but also of the continuing brutal suppression of protests against the state terror. The Federal Government has to finally draw its conclusions from the massive human rights violations of the Erdogan government. Any cooperation with Turkish security and justice authorities has to be freezed until the persecution of political dissidents and oppositionists in Turkey has stopped.
The faction of DIE LINKE in Bundestag has definite grounds for decision: „A democratic form of government, the warranty and enforcement of human rights for anyone in every day life, the respect and protection of minorities, religious freedom for all and the state of law are important conditions for negotiations with countries applying for EU-membership. In the view of the internal situation in Turkey currently no new EU accession chapter shall be opened while continuing the talks and negotiations.
Solidarity with Fazil Say and all persecuted persons in Turkey is now demanded. We may not leave those brave people alone.“