WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1469/99 by Lucio MANISCO Death sentence passed on the Kurdish leader Ocalan
Date: 1999-09-01
Institutions: European Parliament, MANISCO
Subjects: Türkiye, common foreign and security policy, death penalty, political figure

29.1.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 27 E/83

earthquakes in Turkey and Greece as well as developments in bilateral Greek-Turkish relations, and is
convinced that dialogue with Turkey, which will embrace all issues, is the only right way forward to bring
Turkey closer to the values and objectives of the European Union. In this context, the Council wishes to
underline the importance it attached to the participation of Foreign Minister Cem in the General Affairs
Council luncheon on 13 September 1999.

(2000/C 27 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1469/99

by Lucio Manisco (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 1999)

Subject: Death sentence passed on the Kurdish leader (cid:214)(cid:231)alan

In view of the farcical trial and the resulting death sentence passed on the Kurdish leader (cid:214)(cid:231)alan:

1. Does the Commission not think that it should make urgent representations to the government in
Ankara, so that it can be announced in Parliament that the death sentence has with immediate effect
been commuted to imprisonment?

2. Does the Commission not think that it should make an official announcement to the effect that the
death sentence in question constitutes the Turkish Government(cid:146)s umpteenth violation of human rights
and the basic principles of international law?

3. Does the Commission not therefore think that, in the meantime, it should:

(a)

suspend all trade preference agreements (both customs agreements and others) between the
European Union and Turkey?

(b)

suspend the current negotiations on Turkey(cid:146)s accession to the European Union?

(c) ban all arms trading between Turkey and the EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr van den Broek on behalf of the Commission

(16 September 1999)

The death sentence passed on the leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah (cid:214)(cid:231)alan, on
29 June by the Court of State Security in Ankara provoked reactions from many quarters in the Union,
including the Presidency which called on Turkey not to carry it out. Similar views were expressed on the
Commission(cid:146)s behalf by the Member of the Commission responsible who invited the Turkish authorities to
take account of the EU(cid:146)s opposition to the death penalty.

It should be borne in mind that capital punishment has not been exercised once in Turkey since 1984 and
that a draft Criminal Code is currently before the Turkish Parliament providing for its abolition. If the
sentence on Mr (cid:214)(cid:231)alan were to be carried out, this would clearly nullify all Turkey(cid:146)s efforts to put an end
to the death penalty.

The Commission does not consider that the possibility of retaliatory measures against Turkey, as suggested
by the honourable Member of Parliament, need be examined at this stage. It is monitoring the action to be
taken on the Court of State Security(cid:146)s decision closely and can confirm that the Turkish authorities
concerned will take the EU(cid:146)s position into account.

Turkey is included in the enlargement process and has been the subject of a regular annual report on its
progress towards accession since the Cardiff European Council in June 1998. The Commission is due to
present its next report by the end of the year and will take due account of developments in the (cid:214)(cid:231)alan
case.