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Human Rights Commissioner on the release of Dogan Akhanli: a strengthened rule of law key focus of the accession negotiations
Markus Löning, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, issued the following statement today (10 December) on the decision by an Istanbul court to release the German national Dogan Akhanli from prison:
“I welcome the release of Dogan Akhanli. The trial and the indictment show that much remains to be done in Turkey in the rule-of-law sphere. It is therefore important that Chapter 23, ”Judiciary and Fundamental Rights“, of the EU negotiations is opened as quickly as possible. Turkey must know which reforms are expected of it, while the EU must exert more pressure in the spheres of human rights and the rule of law.Moreover, I call upon Cyprus to stop blocking this chapter.”
