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German Chancellor Angela Merkel |
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MERKEL ANNOUNCES THAT TURKS IN GERMANY 'FORBIDDEN' TO VOTE ON DEATH PENALTY
May 9, 2017: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Turks living in Germany won’t be allowed to vote in a possible referendum on restoring the death penalty in Turkey. Turkish President Recep Erdogan – who has recently seen a significant increase in his powers after a landmark referendum victory – said he would stand in favor of bringing back capital punishment if the measure passed parliament or a referendum. However, the death penalty is banned in all European Union states, which means the initiative could put an end to Turkey’s EU membership prospects. “We usually don’t answer hypothetical questions but this question is unfortunately not so hypothetical as it is being discussed in Turkey,” Merkel said in an interview with German WDR broadcaster on May 9. “We will not give permission for something we are not obligated to do, and whose content we absolutely reject, for example, the death penalty,” she added. In April, nearly 1.4 million eligible Turkish voters living in Germany took part in the controversial referendum that expanded Erdogan’s powers. “We do what we consider the right thing to do. Turkey is a NATO partner and is very important for us in matters of security. But the referendum decision and political developments are of great concern, obviously,” Germany’s Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere also commented on the matter, according to Reuters. (Sources: sott.net/news, 09/05/2017)
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