Turkey threatens capital punishment; Merkel tells them "no eu if you do" - Polidicks

[QUOTE]Turkey cannot join the European Union if it reinstates the death penalty, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in a telephone call on Monday, a German spokeswoman said. Turkey abolished capital punishment in 2004, allowing it to open EU accession talks the following year, but the negotiations have made scant progress since then. With pro-government protesters demanding that the coup leaders be executed, Erdogan said on Sunday there could be no delay in using capital punishment and the government would discuss it with opposition parties. Merkel told Erdogan on the phone that the European Union and Germany vehemently oppose the reinstatement of the death penalty and that such a step is "in no way compatible" with Ankara's goal of EU membership, a Berlin government spokeswoman said. "The chancellor also urged the president to abide by the principles of proportionality and rule of law in the Turkish state's response (to the coup attempt)," she added. "The recent wave of arrests and dismissals in Turkey are a matter for grave concern." Merkel's comments were echoed by Foreign Minster Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who told reporters in Brussels that Germany expected Turkey to deal with those responsible for the attempted coup in line with the rule of law. "Reintroduction of the death penalty would prevent successful negotiations to join the EU," Steinmeier said.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-germany-idUSKCN0ZY0YI[/url]

Good.

I wonder if Erdogan will obey Merkel, defy her as a show of strength, or Putin will swoop in out of nowhere to make sweet love to Turkey and Erdogan

For now,just bring in the popcorn and wait.

[QUOTE=Dr.C;50734544]I wonder if Erdogan will obey Merkel, defy her as a show of strength, or Putin will swoop in out of nowhere to make sweet love to Turkey and Erdogan[/QUOTE] Russia and Turkey aren't exactly on good terms. I imagine Putin is just laughing right now.

As if the EU would allow Turkey into their ranks under any circumstance at this point.

[QUOTE=Dr.C;50734544]I wonder if Erdogan will obey Merkel, defy her as a show of strength, or Putin will swoop in out of nowhere to make sweet love to Turkey and Erdogan[/QUOTE] It isn't just Merkel saying "no you can't do that", it's EU policy as far as I'm concerned. If Erdogan wants to keep Turkey in its perpetual bid for EU membership, he'll have to "obey", but then again, Turkey isn't getting into the EU as long as Erdogan is ruling the country. Considering they just shot a Russian jet down, I'd be surprised if Putin and Erdogan suddenly go "We're best buddies" - which would probably involve Turkey stepping out of NATO as well, because NATO is basically the Anti-Russia Defence Alliance. [I]That[/I] would be a pretty significant change.

[QUOTE=GoDong-DK;50734709]It isn't just Merkel saying "no you can't do that", it's EU policy as far as I'm concerned.[/QUOTE] Yep, it's Article 2 of the EU's [url=http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf]Charter of Fundamental Rights[/url]: "No one shall be condemned to the death penalty, or executed."

[QUOTE]With pro-government protesters demanding that the coup leaders be executed, Erdogan said on Sunday there could be no delay in using capital punishment and the government would discuss it with opposition parties.[/QUOTE] Kind of an awkward scenario when executing people becomes the democratic thing to do.

[QUOTE=Chonch;50735510]Kind of an awkward scenario when executing people becomes the democratic thing to do.[/QUOTE] Did they hold a referendum on whether the government should start executing people?

[QUOTE=Chonch;50735510]Kind of an awkward scenario when executing people becomes the democratic thing to do.[/QUOTE] Well I guess it's a good example of how the "democratic" thing to do isn't always the good decision.

Not even Russia has capital punishment haha

[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;50736027]Not even Russia has capital punishment haha[/QUOTE] [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Russia#Current_status[/url] uuuummm yeah they dont!

[QUOTE=SpaceGhost;50737033][url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Russia#Current_status[/url] uuuummm yeah they dont![/QUOTE] Except it has been prohibited for over a decade now due to "legal" reasons (Not every region has jury trials). The last person to be executed by the state was in 1996. So technically, yes Russia has in the constitution. BUT; It but it is prohibited indefinitely.

[QUOTE=Adamnetwork;50737091]Except it has been prohibited for over a decade now due to "legal" reasons (Not every region has jury trials). The last person to be executed by the state was in 1996. So technically, yes Russia has in the constitution. BUT; It but it is prohibited indefinitely.[/QUOTE] Fair enough, but it could be reinstated at some point in time.

[QUOTE=SpaceGhost;50737033][url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment_in_Russia#Current_status[/url] uuuummm yeah they dont![/QUOTE] This is the same as how you can still get executed in the UK for high treason, but capital punishment is banned.