10 May 1993

Doc. 6828

REPLY

from the Committee of Ministers

to Written Question No. 350

by Mrs BAARVELD-SCHLAMAN

on the violation of human rights

I.       Question (29 March 1993, Doc. 6800)

      Mrs Baarveld-Schlaman,

1.       Thanking the Committee of Ministers for its reply to Written Question No. 347, but considering that the Committee's statement that no further action was required on the Assembly's findings of systematic human rights violations in a member state of the Council of Europe, cannot be considered very satisfactory;

2.       Observing that the public statement on Turkey, adopted on 15 December 1992 by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman and Degrading Treatment or Punishment, confirmed some of the Parliamentary Assembly's findings stated in Resolution 985 (1992) on the situation of human rights in Turkey,

3.       To ask the Committee of Ministers

What kind of action it intends to take, on concordant evidence of violations of the Organisation's Statute made public by the Assembly and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, to preserve the Organisation's credibility in the field of human rights.

II.       Reply by the Committee of Ministers (7 May 1993)

1.       The Committee of Ministers informs the Honourable Parliamentarian that it has taken note of the public statement on Turkey, adopted on 15 December 1992 by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), referred to in her Written Question No. 350.

2.       The Delegation of Turkey in the Committee of Ministers has assured the Deputies that its authorities are fully aware of their conventional responsibilities in this area and that they attach the highest importance to taking positive measures in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms as evidenced by the recently adopted amendments to the Turkish code of criminal procedure which entered into force on 1 December 1992.

3.       The Ministers' Deputies have noted that an ongoing dialogue continues between the Turkish authorities and the CPT. It should be recalled in this context that the public statement was designed "to facilitate the efforts of both parties - acting in co-operation - to strengthen the protection of persons deprived of their liberty from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment" (cf paragraph 37 of the public statement).

4.       The Ministers' Deputies, noting the justified concern expressed in the CPT's public statement and further noting the ongoing dialogue between the Turkish authorities and the CPT, and the importance attached by the Government of Turkey to taking positive measures in the field of human rights, expressed the strong hope that the Turkish Government would accelerate the implementation of the new measures taken in the field of human rights and fundamental freedoms.