Alarm of ‘AKP election event’ in Germany
Ahead of the presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in Turkey on May 14, the AKP’s election campaigns in Germany mobilized German politicians.
According to the news reported by Deutsche Welle Turkish, German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann sent a letter to Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock drawing attention to the importance of taking precautions against campaigns containing hate speech.
The Rheinische Post newspaper, Free Democratic Party (FDP) Buschmann wrote in the letter: “Taking the elections into account, supporters of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are expected to conduct a stronger election campaign in Germany in the coming weeks. We have to take into account the dissemination of hate speech that infringes human dignity in the framework of campaign activities, ”he said.
‘VIOLATION OF FREEDOM OF THOUGHT’
The speech of the AKP deputy Mustafa Açıkgöz in Neuss on January 13, when he said: “We will take them out of the holes in which they hide and destroy them” about the PKK terrorist organizations and the members of FETO, was interpreted as a speech of hatred in Germany, which provoked a reaction. The Turkish ambassador in Berlin had been summoned to the Foreign Office.
In his letter, Justice Minister Buschmann said: “The incidents show that some Turkish officials will deliberately use language that injures human dignity against political opponents at their election campaign events. This is in no way acceptable and is a clear violation of the limits of freedom of thought.”
Buschmann noted that the obligation to allow the activities of foreign officials under the assembly law must be carefully implemented and the rules clearly reminded of Turkey.
With the regulation that came into force in Germany in 2017, the official election campaign activities of officials from non-EU countries for their citizens living in Germany became subject to the permission of the German government. In the three-month period before the election, election campaign activities are not allowed.
Lamya Kaddor, spokesperson for internal politics of the Green party, told the newspaper that despite this rule, there are “grey areas” and that electoral activities can be carried out by German associations and organizations affiliated with Turkey or by individuals. Turks. They do not have an official title.