Turkey slams criticism over keeping OSCE observers out

By Barış Seçkin

ANKARA (AA) - Two European parliamentarians, who have been denied entry as election observers for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), are well known for their sympathy for PKK terrorist group and fanatical anti-Turkey stance, according to Turkish officials.

Turkish voters will go to polls for parliamentary and presidential elections on Sunday, June 24.

The officials, who requested anonymity and are familiar with the issue, told Anadolu Agency that Turkey had used its sovereign rights by refusing entry of German lawmaker Andrej Hunko and Swedish MP Jabar Amin.

Officials said Hunko had run several campaigns to remove PKK from a German list of terrorist organizations and he had shared photos of himself taken with PKK flags.

Ankara is convinced that they could not function as impartial election observers because of their strong support to the terror group and their anti-Turkey fanaticism, according to officials.

Hunko has also worked for the annulment of German laws that ban symbols of PKK and PKK-affiliated NGOs.

His support for the PKK terror group went so far as to share photographs with PKK flags despite German laws prohibit the use of PKK symbols.

Hunko had also visited Turkey during last year’s constitutional referendum as an OSCE election observer. But rather performing as an impartial observer, Hunko had participated in several meetings with the aim of influencing Turkish citizens to cast 'No' vote in the referendum.

Berlin Prosecutor’s office had opened an investigation against Hunko along with 10 more deputies on charges of violating the ban against PKK in 2014.

Turkish authorities have contacted Hunko as he boarded a Turkey-bound flight in Vienna and informed him that Turkey did not want him to set foot in the Turkish soil and that he would be sent back from the airport if he took the flight.

Hunko canceled his visit and got off the plane.

Swedish MP Jabar Amin is also known for his anti-Turkey activities.

He has been conducting anti-Turkey campaigns accusing the Turkish military, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials of committing war crimes.

In one occasion, he has filed a complaint with the Stockholm International Prosecutor’s office demanding Erdogan and other Turkish officials to be tried at international courts. He also submitted a draft resolution to the Swedish parliament seeking a similar goal.

Amin also penned articles in the Swedish news media that called for the awarding of Noble Peace Prize to the jailed head of the PKK terrorist organization, Abdullah Ocalan.

He had also lobbied in favor of YPG terror group -- PKK’s Syrian branch -- in Sweden and visited several politicians and officials with YPG’s so-called commanders along his side. He also facilitated Salih Muslim, one of the leaders of YPG, to be hosted at the Swedish parliament.

Amin, who could not be reached prior to his departure for Turkey, was informed after he arrived in Istanbul that he would not be allowed to enter Turkey as he lacked the impartiality required to function as an election observer. The Swedish lawmaker headed back home on a return flight.

Turkish officials underlined that Turkey had exercised its sovereign rights by preventing both fanatic lawmakers from entering the country.

OSCE issued a statement criticizing Turkey’s decision but affirmed that sovereign states had the right to bar anyone from entering their countries.