A European Union enlargement official today condemned a trial of 15 members of German non-governmental organistations (NGOs) in Turkey who are accused of spying.
EU enlargement commissioner Mr Guenter Verheugen told members of the European Parliament's foreign affairs committee: "This is not what one expects from a state that supports democracy and the rule of law."
"This case does not reflect well on the state of the rule of law in Turkey," said Mr Verheugen, himself a German. He hinted it could harm Ankara's bid to join the EU.
The defendants, including eight German nationals, face up to 15 years in prison if convicted by a state security court of exploiting differences among ethnic and religious groups to destabilise Turkey.
A Turkish prosecutor alleges the NGOs formed "a secret alliance against Turkey's unity and secular republic regime". He says employees of the organisations acted as paid agents of a foreign power, stirring public anger against the government in a deliberate attempt to undermine the Turkish state.
Turkey became an EU candidate country in 1999 but has still to open accession talks due to continued concerns over its human rights record.