Stefan Fuele, the European Union enlargement commissioner, criticized violence used by Turkish officers against protesters and urged for a “swift and transparent” investigation.
Fuele and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan both spoke at a conference aimed at furthering Turkey’s longstanding ambition to join the EU, according to the BBC.
The country’s desire to join the 27-nation bloc has previously been hindered by Turkey’s human rights issues and political resistance among EU members, reports the Washington Post.
Fuele said the EU still plans for Turkey to join the EU, but that Turkey must maintain values of freedom and fundamental human rights.
“Peaceful demonstrations constitute a legitimate way for groups to express their views in a democratic society,” said Fuele. “Excessive use of force by police against these demonstrations has no place in such a democracy.”
“The duty of all of us, European Union members as much as those countries that wish to become one, is to aspire to the highest possible democratic standards and practices,” Fuele said.
“These include the freedom to express one’s opinion, the freedom to assemble peacefully and freedom of media to report on what is happening as it is happening.”
Erdogan has portrayed an understated version of the protests. Heresponded harshly to Fuele’s speech, accusing the EU of double standards because similar police tactics had been used in other European countries and the US.
The protests, which have been raging on across Turkey for a week, have caused the deaths of two protesters.
A police commissioner has also been killed, according to Bangkok Post. Mustafa Sari fell from a 5-meter high bridge while pursuing demonstrators.
Another protester, Ethem Sarisuluk, was left brain-dead after sustaining a head injury in Istanbul, reports Hurriyet Daily News.
Images: WikiCommons, Twitter
