Turkey’s Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül said, "Turkey stands to watch for NATO and humanity," criticizing the European Parliament's (EP) report on Turkey's human rights violations.
Arguing that this decision of the EP is unacceptable, Gül alleged that judiciary in Turkey is independent and unbiased, adding that no power or group could give instructions to the judiciary.
"Of course, arrest is exceptional. There is nothing like 'let everyone be arrested'," Gül said, claiming that only judges and prosecutors make decisions on court files or demands for arrest without any information of the government.
"The European Parliament should deal with its own business," the Justice Minister slammed the EP and continued: "As Turkey fights terrorism and Deash [Islamic State], as Turkish troops keep guard at the border for Turkey, NATO, humanity, those who never make a supportive statement for Turkey cannot make comment about Turkey."
Turkish AKP government officially declared on January 20 the launch of an offensive in Afrin region in northwest Syria. Government's excuse was the threat against national interests and border security.
Gül's recent reference to NATO shows the real intention of the AKP government. Afrin has become the bargaining table of Erdoğan vis-à-vis NATO and the U.S.
AKP party spokesperson and vice chairman Mahir Ünal said that Ankara protects the southern border of NATO as an ally of it, on February 11. Bekir Bozdağ, the government spokesperson, also said that "Turkey is a respectable member of both the UN and the NATO. We protect the NATO's borders."
The European Parliament declared a report on Feb. 8, calling on Turkey to lift the state of emergency and release the detained journalists, activists and NGO leaders. The report also opposed to ongoing military intervention in Afrin.
