Comment Of Appropriations Vice Chair Patrick Leahy And Appropriations Member Chris Van Hollen On The U.S. Decision To Withdraw Approval Of Export of Firearms to the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate

Reaction of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt), Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and cosponsor of the amendment by Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), adopted by the Appropriations Committee on Sept 7, to prohibit exports of U.S. defense articles to the Turkish Presidential Protection Directorate:

"This sale to President Erdogan's personal security guards should never have been approved, given their history of excessive force. But in the category of 'better late than never,' we welcome the Administration's withdrawal of its support for the sale after the Senate vote. We should also stop selling weapons to units of the Turkish National Police that have been arbitrarily arresting and abusing Turkish citizens who peacefully criticize the government."

# # # # #