No: 307, 30 September 2014

Our position that stability in Egypt can only be achieved with a democratically legitimate government based on the people’s will, resulting from an inclusive political process is well-known. Turkey reiterates its calls for a rapid transition to democracy in line with the will of the people in Egypt, as its principled stance on this matter entails. As a matter of fact, all these calls are based on Turkey’s desire that the well-being of the brotherly people of Egypt is ensured and that its free will is fully reflected upon political and social life.

However, we observe that the administration in Egypt, instead of taking into account such sincere calls, voices unacceptable allegations against Turkey, as a manifestation of the psychology of guilt caused by the illegal action that has been performed and an indicator of its inability, which can also be seen from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's September 29, 2014 press release. Needless to say, none of these claims can be taken seriously or be accepted.

In Egypt, large numbers of demonstrators have been killed in one single day as a result of disproportionate use of force by security forces; the death toll since the July 3 military intervention has reached thousands, and the number of those arrested amounted to tens of thousands; such events have been considered by independent human rights organizations as “crimes against humanity”; hundreds of people have been sentenced to death in groundless trials; political parties, democratic movements and youth groups have been banned on arbitrary grounds; dozens of journalists, including foreigners, have been convicted in sentences that are incompatible with the rule of law; the most basic democratic rights have been disregarded. Unfortunately, relentless exclusionary and undemocratic practices still persist in Egypt.

It is not possible to consider reactions to such practices which trample human dignity, the will of the Egyptian people and its sovereignty as “interference in internal affairs”. The principle of noninterference in internal affairs cannot be used as a means to legitimize human rights abuses, arbitrariness and tyranny against Egyptian people. When it comes to human rights and constitutional legitimacy, Turkey, as other responsible members of the international community has ethical, moral and legal responsibility for the provision of the most basic rights of the brotherly people of Egypt. As long as undemocratic practices devoid of political participation continue, the Egyptian administration’s expectations from the international community to end criticism, would be nothing more than unrealistic.

Our sincere calls for addressing the Egyptian people’s legitimate demands for democracy, equality, freedom and prosperity will continue, unless tangible progress is achieved. Turkey will not refrain from remaining actively seized of the matters such as ending human right violations in Egypt and respect for the free will of the brotherly people of Egypt.