Judge associations in Denmark and Norway are asking their respective governments to put pressure on Turkey after the country issued arrest orders for nearly 3,000 judges and prosecutors in the wake of Friday’s coup attempt.
According to the judge associations, the mass firings and arrests of judges in Turkey are a breach of the rule of law as well as judicial independence.
“As a member of the Council of Europe, Turkey is obliged to respect the rule of law and its principles as well as the requirement for an independent judiciary”, say the Danish and Norwegian judge associations in a joint statement.
“When the government suspends 2,700 judges, it appears as if it takes this opportunity to get rid of judges who have not been regime friendly enough.”
Uncertain future
Meanwhile, Danish companies, such as Grundfos, Gumlink and Hummel, which are doing business in Turkey worry about the immediate impact of the failed putsch.
“Our fear is that banks will suffer a blow,” Søren Schriver, the administration manager at Hummel, told Børsen.
“Right now we have no idea what Recep Erdogan will tell the National Bank. It can have an enormous importance.”
However, the Turkish central bank assured on Sunday that it would offer unlimited liquidity to banks.
Danish Foreign Ministry yesterday lifted a travel ban for Turkey and the Danes are again free to travel to the Mediterranean country with no restrictions.
