Humza Yousaf’s decision to invite Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Scotland has been condemned by Kurdish groups and human rights charities.
In a joint statement, organisations including Scottish Solidarity with Kurdistan, Kurdish Community Scotland and the STUC said the offer from the First Minister was “hypocritical” given the SNP’s criticism of other nation's human rights abuses.
They said the Turkish president had a history of targeting civilian infrastructure and had used chemical weapons.
They have asked Mr Yousaf to meet with them to discuss President Erdoğan’s human rights record.
READ MORE: Diplomatic row as Yousaf invites Erdoğan to Scotland
On Thursday, The Herald revealed that the invite had been made during a controversial meeting between the pair at the COP28 summit in December.
Speaking to journalists in Holyrood, Mr Yousaf explained that he had simply said to President Erdoğan "the next time he's in the United Kingdom why not come up to Scotland?"
"Turkey is a Nato ally," Mr Yousaf added. "Why would we not wish to have a Nato ally here?"
He added: "The UK government regularly engages with Turkey as a Nato ally. It is an important regional player.
"Why on earth would Scotland not look to seek to engage with a Nato ally and of course somebody we seek to do business and trade with?"
Asked if he would raise human rights concerns, Mr Yousaf replied: "I would raise human rights as I tend to do whenever I have meetings with international leaders, but I should say of course, we do that in a way that also recognizes we're on a human rights journey as are other countries."
In their statement, the groups said the Turkish state’s “record on human rights abuses is well documented, both internally and externally.”
They added: “Women, ethnic minorities and migrants bear the brunt of its oppressive policies. In particular, the Turkish state continues a policy against the Kurdish people that seeks to suppress basic human rights and political autonomy through military force, legal repression, and assimilationist policies.”
The statement said the First Minister’s answers to journalists were "hypocritical."
“The SNP positions itself as distinct from Westminster and with a more discerning eye towards human rights abuses and regional autonomy.”
READ MORE: Erdoğan stunt proves Humza Yousaf is out of his depth
The criticism comes after it emerged that Mr Yousaf had been offered a “new year phone call” for talks with Mr Erdoğan.
According to the Times, the Turkish President’s office offered a telephone meeting early last week.
The Scottish Government referred the invitation to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, who said it could only go ahead if Mr Yousaf was briefed beforehand and if one of their officials was listening in.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Turkish President’s office sought a new year phone call with the First Minister. The Scottish Government made the [Foreign Office] aware, and raised no objection to [Foreign Office] officials’ request to be on any call that took place. No call has taken place.”
The paper reports that Mr Erdoğan’s office has yet to suggest a date to the Scottish Government and that a meeting is not being chased by Mr Yousaf’s officials.
READ MORE: Yousaf's Erdoğan’s invite attacked by the Greens
Meanwhile, a Labour MSP has called on the Scottish Government to rule out buying any more ferries from Turkey. Katy Clark said procurement guidelines should be reviewed to ensure firms in “human rights abusing regimes” are not awarded public contracts.
Currently, four vessels are being built for Scotland by the Cemre Marin Endustri yard in northern Turkey.
Ms Clark said: “Human rights organisations have criticised the Scottish Government for cosying up to Turkey, led by Erdogan’s human rights abusing regime, but the award of public contracts to firms in the country is even more disturbing.
“The Scottish Government frequently vaunts its fair work credentials, with procurement guidelines insisting on forums for workers to express grievances, yet it continues to outsource contracts for lifeline ferries to a country where trade unions must organise under a climate of fear.”
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