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'Turkey is Not a Democracy' as It is Devoid of 'All Rights and Freedoms'

© AP Photo / Lefteris PitarakisTurkish flag flies at the refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Islahiye, Gaziantep province, southeastern Turkey,Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Turkish flag flies at the refugee camp for Syrian refugees in Islahiye, Gaziantep province, southeastern Turkey,Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - Sputnik International
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Former Attorney General of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Republic of Turkey, Tansel Çölaşan, spoke to Sputnik in an interview about the violation of rights and freedoms in Turkey.

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“At the moment in Turkey there is no press freedom, no independent justice system. Systematically almost all the criteria and principles of democracy are violated. The work of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey has actually been suspended. The authorities are trying by referendum and other means to force a new constitution on the people. Work on the legitimation of the current situation is undergoing.”

He further said that Turkey is now in the limelight after the problems that have been there for the past 13-15 years received international attention.

“We have been saying for over 13 years that the current government has a specific purpose set by secret bilateral agreements, and it is attempting to divide the existing Middle East. The AKP government has deceived the Turkish people, working toward the set goal under the guise of democracy. Although in reality there is no real democracy of any sort.”

Çölaşan further said that “Where there is no real democracy, there can be no press freedom, no justice, no independence, no respect for human rights and freedoms or security.”

The current situation is the result of the delayed reaction of the international community. In today's environment Turkey is devoid of freedom of any sort as even access to Sputnik can be blocked and other rights and freedoms can be restricted at any time, the former attorney said.

“If a certain online publication in Turkey is not broadcasting in favor of the ruling forces, it gets immediately blocked. This is not done through courts as is customary in a state of law, but via a completely illegal manner.”

“Today, Turkey is not a democracy; it is dominated by one person. Therefore, the problem in Turkey is not only in compliance with the freedom of speech or the press, the problem is much bigger — today in Turkey practically all rights and freedoms have been suspended,” Çölaşan concluded.

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