Turkey pledges to root out rights abuses for EU membership

TUNCELI, Turkey (Reuters) -- Turkey said Monday human rights abuses blocking its way to European Union membership would be virtually eradicated by the end of 2001.

The ambitious forecast was made by State Minister Rustu Kazim Yucelen before an unprecedented meeting of prosecutors, governors and police with rights activists and trade unionists in this southeastern city -- a center of 15 years of separatist conflict.

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A report to the meeting by the trade union for energy, construction and roads said emergency rule in the mainly Kurdish southeast allowed security services to hold suspects for lengthy periods without charges.

"Public officials who use torture as a method are protected by ... emergency-rule regulations. Those regulations which open the way for torture should be altered," it said.

It said many trade unionists had been jailed under article 312 of the criminal code for speaking their minds. The article, which criminalizes "inciting hatred," has been applied in draconian fashion against some and will be the focus of parliamentary debate this winter.

Yucelen, in charge of human rights issues, said a Web site would be opened by the end of the year for people to register complaints.

"We come together here for a reason," he told some 200 participants from six eastern provinces. "There will be no more human rights abuses by the end of 2001. I declare that."

Despite a parliamentary report released earlier this year that said torture is rife, many officials deny police brutality is systematic. The EU, which accepted Turkey last year as a candidate, is looking for a dramatic improvement in the country's human rights performance.

Nine other such meetings will be held by the end of 2000 to discuss what action needs to be taken to stamp out rights abuse.

"Our goal is to take a snapshot of Turkey regarding these allegations," Yucelen said.

"Torture is a crime under our law," he said. "If our citizens suffer such treatment because of deficiencies in law, we will bring proposals to government and parliament from here. If there are mistakes in implementation of law then we will put those mistakes on the table during our discussions here."

Local police chiefs said all measures were being taken to prevent torture in police stations.

Observers at the meeting said there were allegations of torture and political killings as well as the evacuation of villagers in the area.

The Turkish army removed inhabitants from a large number of villages during its drive to root out the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Authorities said the PKK had used the settlements as safe havens and to obtain food.

The tactic, heavily criticized by rights groups here and abroad, played a role in military successes over the PKK.

Rights groups say that with the dwindling power of the group, especially since the capture of its leader Abdullah Ocalan last year, restrictions on movement have been eased and some people are returning to their homes.

The governor of the eastern Malatya province denounced human rights activists as tacit supporters of Kurdish separatists.

"Those advocating human rights should condemn terror, separatism and fundamentalism," Mustafa Yildirim said.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Office of the Turkish President (in Turkish)
Embassy of the Republic of Turkey
Republic of Turkey, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
U.S. Department of State, Human Rights Reports for 1999: Turkey
Amnesty International Report 2000, Turkey

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