24.06.2026 00:10
AK Party Istanbul Deputy Şengül Karslı shared Turkey's 'Terror-Free Turkey' vision at an international dialogue program held in the Netherlands. Speaking at meetings attended by politicians, academics, journalists and civil society representatives from different countries, Karslı touched upon counter-terrorism, democratization, social reconciliation and the rule of law principles. Karslı emphasized that lasting peace and security can only be achieved on the basis of the rule of law, democratic legitimacy and public conscience.
AK Party Istanbul Deputy Şengül Karslı explained Turkey's "Terror-Free Turkey" vision at an international dialogue program organized by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Democracy Development Institute (DPI). In meetings attended by politicians, academics, journalists, and civil society representatives from different countries, Karslı made assessments centered on the rule of law, democratic legitimacy, and social consensus.
TRUST IS BUILT WITH REALITY ON THE GROUND
Speaking at the program titled "Crucial Conversations," which addressed the importance of proper communication and dialogue management in democratization processes, Karslı emphasized that violence and terrorism must be excluded from the democratic space for civil politics to strengthen.
Highlighting the importance of international experiences, Karslı stated, "International experiences show us that trust is built not through declarations of intent or behind-closed-doors negotiations, but through the actual situation on the ground and verifiable steps. For us, the only legitimate foundation is the rule of law, the democratic will of our Gazi Parliament, and public order."
EMPHASIS ON JUSTICE AND PUBLIC CONSCIENCE
Stating that legal boundaries and social memory cannot be ignored in social consensus processes, Karslı drew attention to the importance of preserving the sense of justice.
Karslı said, "Social consensus cannot be achieved by creating a perception of impunity or downplaying the severity of crime. Our red line in these processes is to center the sense of justice of our martyrs' families, veterans, and citizens harmed by terrorism when taking steps. We cannot position the pursuit of justice and the need for normalization as opposites."
MESSAGE OF NON-VIOLENT AND TRANSPARENT POLITICS
Stating that the only arena where democratic demands can be expressed is civil politics completely free of violence, Karslı expressed that the understanding of "Brotherhood Law" can only be fully realized when the influence of terrorism ends.
Within the scope of the program, representatives from politics, media, academia, and business came together, and conflict resolution and social consensus experiences of different countries were also discussed. Karslı's assessments were seen as an important reflection of Turkey's will to solve its problems within the framework of its own democratic institutions and rule of law principles.