Dialogos

EU Raises Concerns About Turkey's Commitment to Democratic Values on Imamoglu Arrest Anniversary

Published March 23, 2026, 20:04
EU Raises Concerns About Turkey's Commitment to Democratic Values on Imamoglu Arrest Anniversary

The European Commission has expressed growing concern about the state of the rule of law in Turkey, marking the one-year anniversary of the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. The Commission's spokesperson for Enlargement, Guillaume Mercier, emphasized that the detention and prosecution of elected officials, political activists, and journalists raises questions about Turkey's commitment to democratic values. The Commission reminded that Turkey, as a candidate country and member of the Council of Europe, must implement high democratic standards and that the EU enlargement report records a regression of Turkey in this area.