EU Criticizes Turkey Over Human Rights and Media Freedoms

The EU has criticized Turkey's protection of human rights, judicial independence and media freedoms.

In an eagerly anticipated annual report on the progress made by states applying for membership to the bloc, the European Commission (EC), the EU's executive arm, accused Turkey of failing to implement key democratic reforms, although it praised the country for its handling of the ongoing refugee crisis—the UNHCR expects Turkey to have taken in 1.9 million refugees by the end of this year. The report also praised the economic reforms implemented by the country.

However, the report slammed the "overall negative trend in the respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights," in Turkey and noted that the "independence of the judiciary and the principle of separation of powers have been undermined since 2014 and judges and prosecutors have been under strong political pressure."

It added that "There was significant backsliding in the areas of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly," and noted that the country's security situation has worsened as fighting continues between Turkish security officials and the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party.

The annual report was expected to be released before the Turkey's parliamentary elections on November 1 in which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party regained the majority it had lost in June's vote. It was delayed however, as the EU and Turkey negotiated a joint plan to deal with the refugee crisis. Under the new deal, Turkey could receive up to $3.4 billion in EU aid and see its application to join the EU pushed forward.

The EU and Turkey have been in membership negotiations since 2005. So far Turkey has only completed one of the 33 "chapters", or conditions of membership necessary to join the bloc. Tuesday's report concluded that there is "an overall negative trend in the respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights," in Turkey that runs "against European standards."