WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3333/97 by Yiannis ROUBATIS to the Council. Conviction of Esber Yamukdereli and the continued violation of human rights in Turkey
Date: 1997-10-23
Institutions: European Parliament, ROUBATIS
Subjects: Türkiye, freedom of expression, freedom of opinion, fundamental rights, human rights, political prisoner, political violence













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91997E3333

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3333/97 by Yiannis ROUBATIS to the Council. Conviction of Esber Yamukdereli and the continued violation of human rights in Turkey  


Official Journal C 158 , 25/05/1998 P. 0089 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3333/97 by Yiannis Roubatis (PSE) to the Council (23 October 1997)Subject: Conviction of Esber Yamukdereli and the continued violation of human rights in TurkeyIn an article in the Turkish newspaper Sabah of 29 September 1997, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Ismail Cem, described Article 8 of the so-called anti-terrorism law as a 'disgrace'. In an interview with the German newspaper 'Bild' on 22 September 1997, the Turkish Prime Minister himself, Mesut Yilmaz, acknowledged that the laws on the protection of human rights needed radical change. On 1 October 1997, the Turkish President, Suleyman Demirel, said that it was a matter of priority 'to put an end to the disgrace of human rights violations'. Despite all these statements being made during the first week of October, a blind 52-year old Turkish lawyer, Esber Yamukdereli, known for his defence of numerous dissidents in the Turkish courts, was sentenced to 23 years imprisonment by the Ankara Court of Appeal under Article 8 of the anti-terrorism law.1. What practical measures will the Council take to secure the immediate release of Esber Yamukdereli and to compel the Turkish Government to repeal all the legal provisions which even its own officials call a 'disgrace'?2. How long will the Council tolerate the mockery, inconsistency and untrustworthiness of successive Turkish governments, which have been promising for two years to repeal all legal provisions used to violate human rights and restrict freedom of thought and which serve as a pretext for depriving Turkish citizens even of life itself?3. Does the Council not believe that it is unthinkable to strengthen relations any further between the Union and Turkey while this situation persists?Answer (26 January 1998)1. The Council deeply regrets the sentence imposed on the lawyer Mr E. YAMUKDERELI. Although the prison sentence was postponed for one year on health grounds, the Council appealed to Turkey to commute postponement to definitive release.2. The Council points out that freedom of expression is a universal fundamental right that every democratic country has a duty to guarantee. It will have no hesitation, in its contacts with the Turkish authorities, in condemning any violation of fundamental rights.3. The position of the Union with regard to respect for human rights in Turkey was recently confirmed at the European Council meeting in Luxembourg on 12 and 13 December 1997.In particular, the European Council recalled that strengthening Turkey's links with the European Union also depended on that country's pursuit of the political reforms on which it has embarked, including the alignment of human rights standards and practices on those in force in the European Union.