By Olaleke ASHAFA
Turkish Authorities have confiscated the passports of two members of the country’s Green Left Party at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport, preventing them from travelling to Germany, according to a party spokesman.
“We were stopped by the police at passport control early this morning. They told us our passports are void and we cannot leave the country,’’ Green Left Party co-chair Naci Sonmez told dpa.
“We are surprised because there is no court decision to this end,’’ he stated.
Sonmez said he and fellow party co-chair Eylem Tuncaelli were trying to travel to Berlin where they planned to attend a conference organised by the European Greens.
Both Sonmez and Tuncaelli were briefly detained in February for criticising Turkey’s military operation in Northern Syria.
A Turkish court lifted a travel ban on the two co-chairs in July, Sonmez said.
“These barriers, lawlessness make us stronger in the struggle for democracy. We will continue to fight for a better world. We shall overcome!’’ co-chair Eylem Tuncaelli wrote on Twitter.
“Stay strong @eylemtuncaelli and @sonmeznaci from the Turkish Greens,’’ the European Greens tweeted on Friday.
“They may be able to confiscate your passports but they cannot rid you of your values.’’
