WRITTEN QUESTION E-4111/00 by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Council. Hunger strike by Turkish prisoners.
Date: 2001-01-16
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Türkiye, accession negotiations, human rights, hunger strike, law relating to prisons, prisoner

18.9.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 261 E/25

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has informed the Commission that it is committed to the Community
objective of transparency, taking into account the conditions determined by the Bank(cid:146)s particular nature
and specific mission. It aims to keep its information policy in step with evolving best practice in the
banking sector and to disclose information to the maximum extent possible. In doing so, the EIB will take
into account the general spirit of the Aarhus Convention and of any other relevant international legal
instrument. This is without prejudice to any future obligations, which may derive from the Community
legislative process.

(1) COM(2000) 30 final (OJ C 177 E, 27.6.2000).

(2001/C 261 E/024)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4111/00

by Emmanouil Bakopoulos (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Hunger strike by Turkish prisoners

For more than fifty days hundreds of prisoners have been on hunger strike in 18 prisons in Turkey: they
are protesting about the decision by the authorities to transfer them to new F-type prisons with smaller
cells, since this deprives them of basic rights, such as the right to communicate and the possibility of
giving each other moral support.

In view of this, will the Council say how a country seeking accession to the European Union can violate
prisoners(cid:146) rights in such brutal manner and endanger their lives, and whether behaviour such as that of the
Turkish authorities is in keeping with the partnership agreement concluded recently between the EU and
Turkey?

Reply

(30 May 2001)

The Turkish Government is well aware of the EU(cid:146)s strong views on the need to improve the situation in
Turkish prisons. Indeed, the Council has included this issue in the medium-term priorities of the Accession
Partnership:
(cid:145)adjust detention conditions in prisons to bring them into line with the UN Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and other international norms(cid:146). Moreover, Turkey has
the Acquis, which indicates Turkey(cid:146)s
recently adopted a National Programme for the Adoption of
intentions with regard to the Accession Partnership.

In bilateral meetings with Turkey, the European Union has registered its concern about the police methods
deemed necessary by the Turkish authorities in December of last year to deal with the hunger strikes and
the unrest in Turkish prisons, such practices not being required for the introduction of the reforms
provided for in the Accession Partnership. The Council welcomes the intention of the Turkish authorities
to continue to cooperate with the Council of Europe in this respect, in particular with its Committee for
the Prevention of Torture. The Council will continue to monitor the situation.

(2001/C 261 E/025)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-4135/00

by Chris Davies (ELDR) to the Commission

(16 January 2001)

Subject: Laying Hens Directive (1999/74/EC)

Is the Commission aware that some animal welfare organisations are concerned that so-called enriched
cages are not included in the cage ban under the Laying Hens Directive (1999/74/EC) (1)?