I wish we could have his confidence that the moves toward democratization remain strong. We would argue completely the contrary: that the siege on human rights, that has been unrelenting since the coup attempt, is counterproductive to any democratic process.
International human rights law does recognize that in the most extreme and limited of circumstances, a government, when faced with the immediate impact of what's often described as an emergency that threatens the life of the nation, for a very limited period of time can suspend some human rights. Twenty plus months later is far beyond that limit. The notion that it has continued to be extended six times makes a mockery of the sense that this is a state of emergency. This has become situation normal.
To my colleague, I would agree with him. We too have expressed concern about France and the fact that the state of emergency is being used in the way that it is in France. The fact that it's being misused in France does not justify its misuse in Turkey. It's an affront to human rights. It's a violation of international human rights treaties. If anything, it's only going to set back the progress toward stronger democratization.