The files we follow: Relations between Iran and its Neighboring Countries; Relations between Iran and the United States; Relations between Iran and the BRICS; Relations between Turkey and the European Union; Relations between Turkey and the BRICS; Relations between Gulf Countries and the United States; Geopolitics of Yemen: Between Internal Fragmentations and Regional Interferences.
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On May 30, 2025, Nacho Sánchez Amor, the European Parliament’s Standing Rapporteur on Türkiye, visited Ekrem İmamoğlu, the imprisoned mayor of Istanbul, at the high-security prison in Silivri, near Istanbul. This visit marks “the first visit by a representative of a European Union institution and the second international official visit received İmamoğlu has received since his arrest on March 23, 2025,” the first having been by a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. During this meeting, Sánchez Amor conveyed “the strong solidarity expressed by the European Parliament regarding İmamoğlu’s case” and emphasized that the Parliament “condemned İmamoğlu’s arrest and removal from office in its recent report on Türkiye.”
In a statement following the visit, Nacho Sánchez Amor stated that “my presence here is not just a symbolic gesture, but a clear demonstration of the European Parliament’s firm commitment not to turn a blind eye to the serious erosion of the rule of law and fundamental freedoms in Türkiye.” He added that “İmamoğlu must be released, as it is evident that the ongoing judicial harassment and the attacks he has endured for years are politically motivated.” According to him, “his case is a prime example of how the current Turkish authorities are pushing the country toward an increasingly authoritarian model.”
The Rapporteur also highlighted the broader implications of this situation for EU-Türkiye relations. He recalled that “Türkiye is of strategic importance to the EU – as a NATO ally and a key partner in many areas,” but warned that “if Türkiye continues backsliding, it will only drift further away from the EU, dismantling the trust essential is needed for any deep cooperation, whether in trade, security, or other areas.”
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