MEP denounces Turkey over ‘grotesque’ trial of human rights activist

Date: 23/01/03

By Martin Banks

THE trial of an eminent psychiatrist and human rights activist in Turkey is a "damning indictment" against the Turkish regime and casts doubts on its suitability for EU membership, an MEP claimed this week.

Alp Ayan, of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, has been charged with violating the Turkish penal code through "excessive" criticism of the justice ministry and military. He is due to face a hearing on 24 April. His case has been taken up by the Danish Socialist MEP Torben Lund, who describes the charges as "grotesque".

"The 'crime' he has committed is to criticise the Turkish government for torture and conditions in its prisons for being inhuman. However, the case against Dr Ayan is itself a violation of the freedom of speech, " said Lund, a former lawyer and health minister in Denmark. The MEP believes the case highlights how far Turkey still has to go before it can satisfy the conditions for entering into negotiations on possible EU membership. "This case and others show that Turkey does not live up to the most elementary conditions for a constitutional state.

"Fundamental civil rights, including freedom of speech, continue to be violated and there has not been any decrease in the number of torture cases in police stations and prisons."

Lund, who intends attending Ayan's trial, has written to Günter Verheugen, the enlargement commissioner, asking him to put "maximum" pressure on the Turkish government to drop the charges against Ayan. He said: "I have asked the commissioner to make it clear that the human rights situation in Turkey is totally unacceptable and that the negotiations for EU membership cannot start under the current conditions in Turkey."

A spokesman for Turkey's mission to the EU said it was unaware of the Ayan case and urged Lund to contact them. "[But] I would point out that tremendous work is being done to improve the human rights situation in Turkey," he added.

The trial of an eminent psychiatrist and human rights activist in Turkey is a 'damning indictment' against the Turkish regime and casts doubts on its suitability for EU membership, an MEP has claimed.