23 November 1993

Doc. 6972

1403-19/11/93-1-E

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 355

by Mrs BAARVELD-SCHLAMAN

on the situation of human rights in Turkey

      Mrs Baarveld-Schlaman,

1.       Expressing her surprise at the reply of the Committee of Ministers to her Written Question No. 351 on the situation of human rights in Turkey;

2.       Drawing attention to the fact that in a parliamentary democracy, governments do give substantive replies to questions put by members of parliament;

3.       Convinced that there are no grounds for the Committee of Ministers not to act in a similar way with regard to questions of members of the Parliamentary Assembly;

4.       Considers, therefore, that it is not sufficient for the Committee of Ministers to merely state that it is encouraged by the continuing dialogue between the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) and the Turkish authorities without providing further information;

5.       In her capacity as Rapporteur on the situation in Turkey of the Parliamentary Assembly's Political Affairs Committee,

      To ask the Committee of Ministers to explain why it does not wish to take any action to accelerate the improvement of the situation of human rights in Turkey.

Signed:

Baarveld-Schlaman