Revival of Death Penalty in Turkey to End EU Accession Talks, Germany Warns

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) speaks to the media at the federal chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 16 July 2016. Her statement concerned the attempted military coup in Turkey. Photo EPA/BGNES

A return of capital punishment in Turkey will end the country’s EU accession talks, Germany has warned.

"Germany and the EU have a clear stance: we categorically oppose the death penalty. A country with the death penalty cannot be a member of the EU," Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert  told reporters in Berlin on Monday, according to AFP.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey could consider reinstating the death penalty in the wake of last week’s failed coup attempt.

Germany will block talks for Turkey’s accession to the EU if Ankara reintroduced the capital punishment, Seibert said.

 

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