Turkey

EDM number 536 in 1996-97, proposed by Emma Nicholson on 13/02/1997.

That this House is deeply concerned by continued reports of human rights violations in Turkey; welcomes the public statement issued by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture on 6th December 1996, which highlighted the blatant and widespread use of torture by Turkish police against both political and criminal suspects; deplores the imprisonment of prisoners of conscience; including human rights defenders and journalists; is concerned that the United Nations has received more reports of 'disappearances' in Turkey since 1991 than from any other country in the world; notes that the US State Department report of January 1997 and the Amnesty International Turkey report of October 1996 each refer to the serious human rights problems in Turkey; calls on the Turkish Government to implement the reforms of detention procedures recommended by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, conduct prompt and impartial investigations into all reports of extra-judicial execution and 'disappearance' and immediately release all prisoners of conscience; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to press the forthcoming 53rd Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to adopt a resolution urging the Turkish government to undertake these measures.

This motion has been signed by a total of 66 MPs.