U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) has introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning policies by Turkey to quash dissent over the country’s invasion of northern Syria.
The Turkish Armed Forces banned protests of any form and cracked down on online dissent following the Oct. 9 incursion by the Turkish Armed Forces into Syria. Thousands of Turkish citizens were interrogated on terrorism charges, according to the senator’s office. News outlets that criticized the operation in Syria had criminal complaints filed against them, and the homes of journalists were raided.
“The Turkish government’s actions raise serious concern that it is using criticism of military operations as a pretext to further crush dissent and inflict fear,” said Sen. Blackburn. “Freedom of expression is essential to who we are as a nation.”
Senate Resolution 418 was introduced by Sen. Blackburn and U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) on Nov. 12, the day before a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Sen. Blackburn said she hoped Erdogan would “feel the weight of the Senate on his shoulders, urging him to fulfill his government’s international obligations to allow free speech as his citizens seek to voice their opposition to the violence occurring at the hands of Turkish Armed Forces.”
The Senate resolution would reaffirm the position of the United States that peaceful dissent should be protected under the right of freedom of expression in Turkey. The resolution calls for immediately lifting sanctions on freedom of speech through social media, peaceful assembly or other peaceful methods.
The legislation also would encourage senior U.S. administration officials to raise the issue of suppression of free speech and media in Turkey at the highest levels, and it calls for the release of all political prisoners, according to a summary provided by the senator’s office.