John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the ambassador for his comments but he did not really deal with the question on the banning of political parties. He danced around the issue and said it was a matter for the Turkish judiciary. I posed the point that many members of the Turkish judiciary, many journalists and many members of opposition political parties have been rounded up and are languishing in prison because of their opposition to the Turkish Government and its policy under President Erdoan. I would not take what the ambassador is saying at face value. How many political prisoners are in prison in Turkey? How many journalists are in prison in Turkey for speaking out against the Turkish Government? How many members of political parties are languishing in prison in Turkey for speaking out against the oppressive nature of the Turkish regime?