CoE asks +Criminal Sanctions for Violence + Torture by Turkish Police against Popular Demonstrations

 

 

*Strasbourg/CoE/- In its 1st official decision since the Mediterranean "Wind for Democracy" in Neighbouring Countries around the EU started recently to extend Popular Demonstrations, after Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Syria, also to Turkey, CoE's Committee of Ministers gave a strong publicity to a crystal-clear call upon Ankara's Government for "Sanctions" and even "Criminal Prosecution" against Turkish Police Officers who abuse of "Excessive Force" and/or "Ill-Treatments" in order to Oppress the Freedom of Assembly and even Peaceful Demonstrations, revealing, at the same time, that such "Violations" of Human Rights "continue", with many "New" and "Similar" Incidents, as attest also almost a Hundred of recent relevant Condemnations of Turkish Authorities by ECHR Judgements and more Complaints lodged in Strasbourg recently, even long after the controversial and unpopular EU 1999-2005 decision to start Enlargement Negotiations with Turkey, (later named by the EU as "Open-Ended", i.e. able to bring at a "Privileged Partnership" wihout full EU Accession), the obvious Aggravation during the last few Months attesting of a "Recurrent and Systemic ... Problem" in Turkey, which obliged CoE's Ministers to bring back these cases under an "Enhanced Supervision", similar to a situation that Ankara had in the Past, before its controversial and unpopular EU bid.

 

+ Moreover, the Exceptionaly Serious Human Rights' Violations existing in Turkey, Worse than in any other among the PanEuropean CoE's 47 Member States, was clearly obvious in this Semester's examination, by CoE''s Ministerial Committee, of ECHR Judgements' execution, since Ankara was the only one which had to reply for Abuses of Excessive Brutal Physical Violence and denunciations of ill-Treatments/Torture by its Agents, (even Violations of the Right to Life, Kidnaping/Enforced Disappearances, etc., in cases of "MISSING" People : See Yesterday's relevant NewsReport about Cyprus), while, all Other 15 Countries concerned this time, (such as Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine and the U.K.), were limited mainly with various Other matters, such as the Length of Courts' proceedings, Fair Trial, Elections and/or Right to Vote, Witnesses' protection, Freedom of Expression, Medical Care, Bans on Gay Marches, Property, Family Life, Right to Liberty and Security, Extradition/Deportation/Expulsion of Foreigners (f.ex. by the UK, Russia, Bulgaria, etc), Dismissals, etc.

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- In particular, CoE's Ministers "invited the Turkish Authorities .... to act promptly ... in conducting Criminal Proceedings initiated against Law Enforcement Officers" in this regard, as well as "to ensure that ... Investigations into allegations of Ill-Treatment" by Turkish Police are "carried out" "diligently", including "Fresh Investigations" on about 40 recent cases of Condemnations of Ankara by the ECHR for this category of Human Rights' Violations, who "became final", known as the "Oya Ataman" Group : I.e. Judgements published between 2002 - 2012+, about "Excessive use of Force to Break up unlawful but Peaceful Demonstrations".

+ Strasbourg's Organization for Democracy, Human Rights and Rule of Law, also asked for "Sanctions" against Turkish State's Police "Officers" who "Fail to Comply" with the Rules by abusing of "Force" which is not "Necessary", neither "Proportional". Turkish Authorities must "Review the Necessity, Proportionality and Reasonableness of any use of Force, after a Demonstration is Dispersed", CoE's Ministers added, calling for a wide "range" of "Effective ... Sanctions" against Turkish "Law Enforcement Officers" who "Fail to Comply with the(se) Directives.

- Turkish "Authorities" which "Interfere with the (People's) Right to Freedom of Assembly, in particular.. where Demonstrations are held Peacefully", "are under an Obligation to assess the Necessity" of their action, while aso "the use of Tear Gas (or Pepper Spray) by (Turkish) Law Enforcement Officers" must be "Review(ed)".

=> For that purpose, "the Turkish Legislation" should be "Amended", its "existing Rules" must be "Reviewed", and, moreover, "Additional Measures are Necessary in order to ensure the full Execution of (ECHR's) Judgements in th(ese) ...cases", went on to add CoE's Ministers, "invit(ing) the Turkish Authorities" to "take into account ECHR's relevant case-law".

- The current "Lack of an Effective Remedy" for the Victims, against "Unjustified Interferences with the Right to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly, and .. Excessive use of Force during Demostrations", from Ankara up to Istanbul and several other Cities, must really cease, "in order to ensure that (Turkish) Law Enforcement Officrs do not use Excessive and Unecessary Force while Dispersing Demonstrations", CoE's Committee of Ministers' decision points out.

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(NDLR : "DraftNews", as already sent, earlier, to "EuroFora"s Subscribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version might be published asap).

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