U.S. Urges Turkey to Respect, Ensure Fundamental Freedoms

March 17, 2017

Acting State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner speaks during a news briefing at the State Department in Washington, U.S., March 7, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Hurriyet Daily News)””The United States has called on Turkey to respect and ensure essential freedoms over concerns on human rights issues and freedoms in the country.

“We urge Turkey to respect and ensure freedom of expression, fair trial guarantees, judicial independence, and other essential freedoms. We also firmly believe in freedom of expression, and that any freedom of expression, including for speech and the media ”“ and that includes also speech that some may find controversial or uncomfortable ”“ only strengthens a democracy and it needs to be protected,”