EN Official Journal of the European Union CE 33/42

(2004/C 33 E/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0474/03

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 February 2003)

Subject: Harsher punishment of incitement to hunger strike in Turkey instead of an improvement in the situation of political prisoners

1. Is the Commission aware of the reports by human rights organisations, such as IHD in Diyarbakir, that the number of arrests and disappearances in Turkey remains unchanged and that in practice the human rights situation has not been brought into line with recently adopted liberal laws and has even deteriorated?

2. Is the Commission aware that more than 60 people have died in the hunger strikes by political prisoners in Turkey since the end of 2000 to protest at their transfer from group detention in old prisons to solitary confinement in new prisons?

3. Is the Commission also aware that the Turkish government wants to end the hunger strikes not by improving the conditions of detainees but by increasing the maximum prison sentence for people calling for hunger strikes from four years to 20 years?

4. Does the Commission see a risk that a measure of this kind, which has now been approved by the newly elected Turkish Parliament, will not lead to reconciliation, the bridging of long-standing differences, human rights improvements and greater scope for legal democratic opposition, but above all to further tension as a result of the increase in the number of prisoners punished for their opposition to the civil rights restrictions imposed by the government and forces of law and order?

5. Is this development consistent with the Copenhagen criteria that Turkey is required to satisfy before negotiations on accession to the EU can begin?

6. What is the Commission doing to prevent Turkey from once again becoming a breeding ground for violent resistance by opposition groups protesting against what is felt to be permanent injustice?

7. What is the Commission doing to ensure that the human rights situation in Turkey does not deteriorate further and that there is an end to pointless repressive legislation?

Source: Netherlands edition of Metro, 7 February 2003.

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(21 March 2003)

The Commission is aware of the human rights situation in the South-East of Turkey and of reports of various human rights organisations, including the Turkish branch of the Human Rights Organisation (IHD).

The Commission is monitoring closely the situation of hunger strikes in Turkey. In its Regular Report of 2001 (1), the Commission reported that in Autumn 2000, the Turkish Government decided to implement a reform of the prison system replacing large dormitories (up to 80 prisoners in one room) with a system of small cells shared by one to three inmates (F-type high security prisons). This led to violent demonstrations and hunger strikes, which related not merely to improvement of prison conditions but also to other demands. In its Regular Report of 9 October 2002 (2), the Commission noted that the hunger strikes protesting against the F-type prisons continued. The death toll is now at 64.

The Commission is of the opinion that the continuing loss of life as a result of hunger strikes is deplorable. The Commission is aware of efforts taken by the Turkish authorities to put an end to the hunger strikes. It is also aware of the recent legislation amending Articles 307/a and 307/b of the Turkish Penal Code related to prison sentences applying to people calling for hunger strikes.

The Commission will continue to monitor closely the situation of human rights in Turkey, including the hunger strikes and the situation in the South East of the country, and raise these issues as appropriate with the Turkish authorities.

The Commission will give an assessment of the human rights situation in Turkey in light of the Copenhagen political criteria in its annual Regular Report to be published later in 2003.

(1) COM(2001) 700 final.

(2) COM(2002) 700 final.