Famelos in Ankara: “Solidarity with all political prisoners in Turkey”

During his visit to Ankara on Saturday, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance president Sokratis Famelos delivered a strong message of solidarity toward Turkey’s political prisoners, including Istanbul’s jailed mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, as well as hundreds of CHP officials, mayors, and members currently held in Turkish prisons.

Famelos attended the CHP Congress and held meetings with senior figures such as Namik Tan, the party’s vice president responsible for foreign affairs, and Tulay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish DEM party.

Support for political prisoners and a call for democratic reforms

According to SYRIZA’s briefing, Famelos expressed the party’s “unwavering solidarity” with İmamoğlu and all political detainees, stressing the need for their immediate release and the restoration of democracy and rule of law in Turkey.

He underlined that SYRIZA-PS places great importance on the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two parties, noting that both share values such as peace, democracy, human rights, and respect for legal institutions.

Greek–Turkish relations and international law

Famelos reiterated that Greek-Turkish dialogue must be based strictly on International Law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), with full use of the European institutional framework to support Turkey’s European perspective.

On the Cyprus issue, he reaffirmed SYRIZA-PS’s commitment to a bizonal, bicommunal federation with one citizenship, no guarantees, and no occupying troops, fully aligned with UN resolutions. He also emphasized the need for resuming negotiations from where they stopped in Crans-Montana in 2017.

CHP: Erdoğan weaponizes the judiciary

Namik Tan agreed that the two parties share common democratic priorities and called for continuous dialogue among progressive forces in both countries.

He criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, accusing him of using the judiciary as a weapon against political opponents. Tan stated that dozens of party officials are imprisoned on “fabricated charges” and requested support from SYRIZA-PS and the democratic forces of Greece.

Meeting with DEM leadership: focus on Demirtaş and Kurdish rights

During his meeting with DEM co-chair Tulay Hatimoğulları, Famelos once again expressed solidarity with Selahattin Demirtaş, the former HDP co-chair considered unjustly imprisoned, and with all elected mayors and party officials removed or detained by Turkish authorities.

He pledged that SYRIZA-PS will raise these issues at the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, stressing the need to uphold the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, which the Erdoğan government continues to violate.

A diplomatic bridge between two peoples

Famelos invited delegations from both CHP and DEM to visit Greece, underscoring the importance of sustained cooperation and dialogue between the progressive forces of both countries for the benefit of both peoples.

As part of his visit, he also held briefings with staff at the Greek Embassy in Ankara, receiving updates on the regional political and diplomatic landscape.

Source: pagenews.gr