WRITTEN QUESTION E-0027/00

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) and Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 January 2000)

Subject: Human rights in Turkey

The world has become no more peaceful in the post-Cold War period. Despite the appearance of new actors on the scene, states are still responsible for the great majority of instances of torture. The Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture in London has for a number of years been taking care of victims of torture and (military) violence.

By far the largest group of patients of the Foundation are from Turkish Kurdistan. The Foundation's Alex Sklan described Turkey in De Morgen of Friday, 24 December 1999 as a torture state. Torture is endemic, routine, inherent in the enforcement of so-called law and order.

1. Is the Commission aware of the activities of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture in London with regard to the victims of torture and violence? If not, will the Commission seek full information on the Foundation given its importance in the light of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the enlargement of the European Union? If it is aware of the Foundation's activities, can the Commission confirm the statement by Mr Sklan that: By far the largest group of patients of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture are from Turkish Kurdistan?

2. Does the Commission feel that the term torture state used by Mr Sklan is applicable to Turkey? If not, does the Commission believe that a member of a body specialising in victims of torture and (military) violence is wrong to apply the term torture state to Turkey? If so, how does the Commission explain the statement by Mr Alex Sklan that: By far the largest group of patients of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture are from Turkish Kurdistan?

3. Does the Commission endorse Mr Sklan's view that Torture is endemic, routine, inherent in the enforcement of so-called law and order in Turkey'? If not, why not, and how can the Commission's position be reconciled with the fact that, as Mr Sklan says: By far the largest group of patients of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture are from Turkish Kurdistan?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(23 February 2000)

The Commission is in regular contact with a wide range of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and finances a number of their activities through assistance programmes. It has made financial contributions to several projects run by the Foundation to which the Honourable Member referred.

As far as Turkey is concerned, the Commission has been analysing the situation there each year since November 1998 through its regular report, in the light of the Copenhagen criteria. In its most recent report, published in October 1999(1), it indicated that there are serious shortcomings in terms of human rights and the protection of minorities. Torture is not systematic but is still widespread [mldr]. Since 1993, the Commission has financed various rehabilitation centres for the victims of torture in the framework of the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights programme.

The Commission considers that the pre-accession strategy for Turkey adopted at the European Council meeting in Helsinki will encourage and support the democratisation process there.

(1) COM(99) 514 final.