WRITTEN QUESTION P-1400/01 by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) to the Council. Situation in Turkish prisons.
Date: 2001-05-07
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Türkiye, accession criteria, accession to the European Union, human rights, prisoner, rule of law, torture

C 81 E/24

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.4.2002

Answer given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(31 May 2001)

Mr Thich Quang Do has been located at the Than Minh Zen Monastry in Ho Chi Minh City. He is reported
to be in good health, taking into account his age (75 years) and the fact that he suffers from diabetes and
high blood pressure.

The Delegation of the Commission in Hanoi, together with the diplomatic missions to Vietnam of the
Member States, follows closely matters of concern in the field of human rights and participates in all
actions to convey the Union(cid:146)s concerns to the Vietnamese authorities. The Commission will continue to
raise particular issues of concern in the course of these contacts.

(2002/C 81 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-1400/01

by Christos Zacharakis (PPE-DE) to the Council

(7 May 2001)

Subject: Situation in Turkish prisons

In its resolution of 18 January 2001 Parliament called on the Turkish authorities to take the necessary
legal and administrative measures forthwith to put an end to the dire situation in Turkish prisons, and
urged Turkey to respect its obligations as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights and
the international conventions on torture. Three months on, however, the situation has deteriorated.
According to reliable information, 49 people have died, dozens have suffered permanent damage to their
health, and the number on hunger strike has risen to 2000.

Given that Parliament(cid:146)s appeal to the Turkish Government and the Council of Europe(cid:146)s representations
have been ignored, what immediate measures will the Council take to make it clear to Turkey that respect
for human rights and the rule of law are a condition of any cooperative relations between that country and
the European Union?

Reply

(27 November 2001)

The Council deeply regrets that the hunger strikes have led to loss of life. Turkey has adopted new laws,
which inter alia reduce the isolation of prisoners. Further measures to improve prison standards are in
preparation. The Council recalls the medium term undertakings given by Turkey in the framework of the
Accession Partnership in relation to adjusting detention conditions in prisons to bring them into line with
the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and other international norms.

More generally, the Council reiterates the priority undertakings given in the short term,
context, to:

in the same

(cid:129) strengthen legal provisions and undertake all necessary measures to reinforce the fight against torture
practices, and ensure compliance with the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture.

(cid:129) further align legal procedures concerning pre-trial detention with the provisions of the European
Convention on Human Rights and with recommendations of the Committee for the Prevention of
Torture.

The EU will continue to press for the early entry into force and full and genuine implementation of these
measures including implementing fully the recommendations of the Committee for the Prevention of
Torture issued in January 2001.