ANKARA, 21 June 2018 – In response to the decision by the Turkish authorities to deny entry to German parliamentarian Andrej Hunko and Swedish parliamentarian Jabar Amin, who had been appointed as members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s election observation mission to the 24 June elections in Turkey, Special Co-ordinator of the OSCE short-term observer mission Ignacio Sanchez Amor and Head of the OSCE PA Mission Peter Osusky today issued the following statement:

“As the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has conveyed to Turkey’s diplomatic mission to the OSCE, we are disappointed with this step taken by the Turkish authorities, which could impact negatively on the work of the international observer mission. While acknowledging the basic right of any country to refuse access to its territory, members of an election observation mission in an OSCE participating State, following an invitation by the country’s authorities, must be able to perform their tasks. According to standard OSCE election observation methodology, the country that has invited the OSCE PA to observe should not – directly or indirectly – influence the composition of the Mission. The OSCE PA deplores the denial of entry to two election observers, which is reportedly based on political opinions they have expressed in the past.

“We express our hope that Turkish authorities will extend appropriate support to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observers.”