Turkey: EU Green Light Would Bolster Rights Reform

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Turkey: EU Green Light Would Bolster Rights Reform

(Ankara, December 15, 2004) - A European Union decision this week to
begin membership negotiations with Turkey would ensure that essential
human rights reforms in the country continue, Human Rights Watch said
today. 

 "The EU accession process has already helped bring about significant
human rights improvements in Turkey," said Jonathan Sugden, Human
Rights Watch's researcher for Turkey. "A 'yes' from the European
Council would maintain that momentum."

On December 16 and 17, the European Council will meet in Brussels and
decide whether Turkey should start negotiations for full membership. The
European Commission in October concluded that "Turkey sufficiently
fulfills the political criteria" and recommended that membership talks
should begin.

Human Rights Watch said that monitoring and standards inherent in the
EU accession process have contributed greatly to the improvement of
human rights in Turkey, by creating the political space for the government
to undertake difficult reforms on the death penalty, language rights for
minorities and freedom of _expression_. The process has also bolstered the
efforts of human rights defenders and others pressing for reform in Turkey.

Significant challenges remain however, particularly in relation to torture
and ill-treatment in police custody, and the safe return of more than
350,000 internally displaced Kurds forced from their homes in the 1990s.
Key human rights priorities for the coming year are detailed in a
background note, "Turkey at the Crossroads," released by Human Rights
Watch today.

"The Turkish government deserves support for its work so far, but there's
still much to do. In the coming months, we expect further progress from
the government to fully eradicate torture and a start to the safe return of
displaced Kurdish villagers," Sudgen said.

Human Rights Watch takes no position as to whether Turkey meets the
criteria for membership or whether membership would be positive for the
European Union or for Turkey.

To read the background note, please see: 
http://hrw-news.c.topica.com/maacYBaabczMaa5QBgub/