WRITTEN QUESTION E-2662/00 by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Council. Arrest of representatives of the press by Turkish forces in the occupied territory of Cyprus.
Date: 2000-08-03
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Cyprus, EU relations, Türkiye, accession negotiations, communications profession, freedom of the press, human rights, occupied territory

18.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 113 E/147

A European mission composed of representatives from the Embassies of nine Member States and the
European Commission in Jakarta visited the Moluccas from 12 to 19 October 2000. Open as it was to all
European Union Member States represented in Jakarta,
the major players in the
community, i.e. the administrative authorities and police, the Muslim, Protestant and Catholic religious
communities and the international and Indonesian NGOs. The series of contacts was completed by visits to
the refugee camps in Ambon and Ternate. The mission confirmed that the tension and violence in the
Moluccas was damaging the exercise of people(cid:146)s fundamental rights, a matter of some concern for the
Union. The members of the mission came to the conclusion that support for humanitarian aid projects
could foster a return to normality, especially if it took place within a proper framework of dialogue with
the parties concerned.

the mission met

The Council would assure the Honourable Member that it will remain vigilant regarding any development
in the situation in question.

(2001/C 113 E/152)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2662/00

by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) and Antonios Trakatellis (PPE-DE) to the Council

(3 August 2000)

Subject: Arrest of representatives of the press by Turkish forces in the occupied territory of Cyprus

The editor-in-chief of the newspaper (cid:145)Avrupa(cid:146), Sener Levent, and the journalists Ali Osman and Harun
Denizkan, along with other members of the newspaper(cid:146)s staff, were arrested on charges of espionage on
7 July 2000 and subsequently interrogated by the authorities of the Turkish Cypriot pseudo-state and the
Turkish forces occupying northern Cyprus. These spurious and defamatory accusations, which have also
been made against the Cyprus Writers(cid:146) Union and in particular against its chairman, Andreas Kannaouros,
constitute a flagrant violation of fundamental freedoms with the aim of intimidating journalists, curbing
freedom of expression in the occupied part of Cyprus and, more specifically, compelling Mr Kannaouros to
abandon his fight for press freedom and silencing the newspaper (cid:145)Avrupa(cid:146) and its journalists.

1. What steps has the Council taken and what measures will
violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms?

it adopt in the face of this flagrant

2.
On the basis of the conclusions of the Helsinki Summit and the strict application of the Copenhagen
criteria with regard to respect for human rights in the applicant countries, is it possible for Turkey to open
pre-accession negotiations with the EU while it commits such acts?

3.
Given that relations between the EU and Turkey are governed by the basic principles of respect for
democratic principles, the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that their progress has
been made subject to the fulfilment of these conditions, can the EU continue to deepen relations with
Turkey if Turkey does not comply with these principles?

Reply

(20 November 2000)

The specific case referred to by the Honourable Members has not been brought before the Council and it
has therefore not adopted any concrete measures. The Council reiterates that the Union is concerned by
information reporting human rights violations and that it will continue to monitor closely the human
rights situation in Turkey and, if necessary, take up individual cases with the Turkish authorities. The
statement by the Helsinki European Council that compliance with the Copenhagen political criteria is a
prerequisite for the opening of accession negotiations is still valid. Developments in Turkey have not yet
reached a stage which would allow further deepening of EU-Turkey relations through the initiation of
accession negotiations.