An alliance of human rights groups called StopErdoganNow sent an open letter to EU High Representative Josep Borrell, signed by MEPs and partner human rights and civil society organizations, demanding that he pressure the European Council to impose tough sanctions on Turkey, The Parliament Magazine reported.

Fourlas, a member of the Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, said, “We must put our European values above any national interest. We have to decide whether we are promoting values, or business.”

His comments are repeated by Mavrides, chair of the Parliamentary Political Committee for the Mediterranean, who said, “We choose not to be silent against the crimes committed by Erdogan. We must not follow the failed appeasement policy of the late 1930s towards Nazi Germany, which humanity paid with such a heavy cost.”

“We cannot forget that Turkey wants to join the EU and has committed to be a democratic state with a strong commitment to the rule of law,” the leader of Renew Europe, Dacian Cioloș noted.

“The announced withdrawal of Turkey's signature from the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence is just one in a long series of unacceptable and shameful gestures that undermines the credibility of Turkey's democratic commitment.”

“We must put our European values above any national interest. We have to decide whether we are promoting values or business” Loucas Fourlas, EPP.

“The Istanbul Convention is an achievement for all women in the world, it is not conceivable to accept any setback. Turkish women can count on our support.”

The StopErdoganNow coalition includes representatives of the Aramaic Syrian, Armenian, Assyrian, Coptic Cypriot, Pontic Greek, Kurdish and Yezidi communities in Europe.