PN head of delegation David Casa met with Turkish Ambassador Kerem Kiratli to discuss the case of investigative journalist Pelin Ünker and the deteriorating state of media freedom in Turkey.

Ms Ünker is facing multiple cases against her following her reports on the Paradise Papers. The charges were dropped in one case but a 13-month jail sentence still hung over her head.

“The charges in this case must also be dropped”, Mr Casa said.

He presented the ambassador with a declaration signed by MEPs from across the political spectrum calling for the charges against Ms Ünker to be dropped and for Turkey to respect the European Convention of Human Rights.

“I have brought the serious concerns of members of the European Parliament to the attention of the ambassador and I have been assured that our concerns were noted,” Mr Casa said.

Mr Casa visited Ms Ünker in Istanbul earlier in the year where he met with her legal team and representatives of organisations working to protect investigative journalists in the country. Ms Ünker also visited Malta as Mr Casa’s guest and addressed the vigil in honour of Daphne Caruana Galizia.

Mr Casa and the ambassador also discussed a number of issues on which EU-Turkey cooperation has proved vital, in particular on migration and combatting terrorism.

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