Amnesty International: 2007 a “Lost Year” for Turkey

The London-based Amnesty International (AI) organisation prepared a briefing on human rights in Turkey in preparation for the meeting of a EU and Turkish Troika on 22 February, and for a meeting of the EU-Turkey Association Committee on 5 and 6 March.

 Unfortunately, the six-page report concluded that there has been a deterioration in human rights in 2007 and has called on others to put pressure on the Turkish government in their meetings.

The report speaks of the continuation of torture and maltreatment, legal impunity of some, the persecution of human rights activists, violations of the freedom of expression, and the continuing pressures on conscientious objectors.

Torture, ill-treatment and impunity

Although the report acknowledges that there has been a reduction in torture cases, it continues:

“However, there have also been setbacks. In prosecutions of torture and ill-treatment, independent medical reports have rarely been accepted by courts and the decision to set up a judicial police force, required under the Code of Criminal Procedures, has not been implemented. June 2006 revisions to the Law to Fight Terrorism allowed a delay of 24 hours in a detainee’s right to legal counsel. The law also gave security forces the right to use lethal force ‘directly and unhesitatingly’ in operations against ‘terrorist organizations.’"

"Likewise, in June 2007 amendments to the Law on Powers and Duties of Police that gave police widespread powers of stop and search, additionally gave police increased authority in the use of lethal weapons. The law allows officers to shoot escaping suspects in the event that a warning to stop is not obeyed. The law as it currently stands does not meet international standards on the use of firearms by law enforcement officers."

"Despite the overall reduction in the number of cases of torture or other ill-treatment reported in police custody, instances of torture or other ill-treatment outside official places of detention, at demonstrations, in prisons and during prison transfer continued. There has been a lack of independent and effective investigation of allegations and in too many cases prosecutions of those responsible have not followed.”

Unfair trials

AI is further concerned about the continuation of unfair trials. There are still allegations that statements are being extracted with torture and that pre-trial detentions and trial periods are excessively long.

Obstruction of human rights activists

According to AI, human rights defenders face untolerable pressures through prosecution, surveillance, and threats from lawyers, police and security forces.

The report also condemns the fact that the murder of journalist Hrant Dink was not prevented by security forces informed of murder plans, and that the investigation into the murder continues to be flawed.

Freedom of expression

Article 301, which has been used in countless cases against writers, journalists, academics and publishers to penalise the “denigration of the Turkish Republic or its institutions” has again been condemned by AI. The organisation has repeatedly called for the abolition of the article. There seems to have been an increase in cases opened under the article in 2007.

AI has also called for a reform of other articles, particularly Article 216 which penalises “inciting the public to emnity or hatred” and Article 7 of the Law on Terrorism which deals with “spreading propaganda for a terrorist organisation.”

Conscientious objection

Conscientious objection is still not permitted in Turkey, despite promises made to the Committee of Ministers in 2006 that a draft law was in progress. Objectors face multiple prosecutions and “civilian death”, so the European Court of Human Rights, which sentenced Turkey in its treatment of objector Osman Murat Ülke. (MÇ/GG)