Richard Howitt (S&D). - Madam President, I join others tonight in mourning the death today of Berkin Elvan, who was simply on his way to buy a loaf of bread and was killed by a teargas canister fired by a police officer, dying today at 15 years old, after being in a continuous coma ever since. The canister was fired in connection with protests which Amnesty International says represent, and I quote, ‘the continuation of a long-standing pattern of human rights abuses’.

Turkey today is a country where democracy is under strain from government interference, corruption and crackdowns on opposition organisations. More than 50 public sector workers were arrested last month, simply for their membership of the KESK public sector trade union. With the International Trade Union Confederation, I condemn the misuse of anti-terrorist laws in this matter.

I join others in sharing my deep concern about proposals to block access to YouTube and Facebook, which represent a serious threat to freedom of expression in the country. And most of all, the new law on the High Council of Judges and Prosecutors is blurring the lines of separation of power, giving the government, according to Human Rights Watch, greater control over the judiciary. Turkey can do better.