Erdoğan's human rights action plan 'a propaganda text to legitimize a new constitution'

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Commenting for bianet on the government's new "Human Rights Action Plan," lawyer Dr. Mehmet Cemil Ozansü described it as a "propaganda text prepared to legitimize a new constitution."

The content of the plan is familiar and "far from convincing," he said, adding that the most striking part of it was the section about "Islamophobia."

Announcing the plan on Tuesday (March 2), President and Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that new legislation would be made about Islamophobia and hate crime.

"Developments that constitute hate speech/crime such as Islamophobia and xenophobia will be followed at both national and international levels and periodic reports will be prepared," he said. "A new regulation will be made in the Turkish Penal Code about discrimination and Islamophobia."

The "new hate crime" of the new regime

"He insistently emphasized Islamophobia in his speech. This is an indication that the political Islamist new regime will make additions of political crimes to the penal code," said Ozansü. "Apparently, the charge of 'provoking the public into enmity and hatred' will be made more common."

"The announced text is a simple propaganda text that the content of which can't be respected. Therefore, the emphasis on hate crimes poses dangers that 'moral' punishments can be imposed under a religiousized ruling power.

"Under these circumstances, punishments that are in line with politics based on religiosity may be implemented. I see that the application of the penal law will be moved further away from the idea of freedom."

The timing of the plan

"The ultimate purpose of the text was announced as a new constitution. Anyways, this plan is based on providing legitimacy for a new constitution, it is a text that repeats what we already know, that doesn't say anything new.

"The government's plan and discourse about a new constitution has been on the agenda for 15 years. The important point is the concept of a new constitution, not an amendment to the constitution.

"Right now, the direction of what they call a new constitution is unclear. I think there is a showdown with the founding will, the basic principles of the republic such as secularism.

"Yesterday, on the anniversary of its abılishment, there were discussions about the caliphate. Last week, all political parties formed a line at a meeting to commemorate Erbakan [Necmettin, a former PM and the founder of the Welfare Party, the predecessor of the AKP].

"It was not a moment of silence for the person of Erbakan, it was for a political movement."

(AS/VK)