Despite taking steps towards establishing the infrastructure necessary to remedy the prevalence of torture and ill-treatment within its territory, the Turkish state continues to fall short of conforming to internationally recognised standards.
With the prospect of EU membership looming, state rhetoric has taken an increasingly firm stance against torture while simultaneously making great strides to combat torture through legislation. However, regrettably, the culture of might is right remains pervasive in the justice system.
Despite positive legal reforms it remains unclear whether these are but cosmetic changes. Consistent implementation and further reforms are imperative in order to engender a culture of respect for the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, reverse the perception of citizens as weak and state agents as invulnerable and to address state agents intransigent stance towards bringing perpetrators within their ranks to justice.
Kurdish Human Rights Project (KHRP) is releasing this briefing paper which draws together the latest research on the status of torture and ill-treatment to express grave concern that far from abating, instances of torture and ill-treatment in Turkey have worsened. This is due largely to the deteriorating security situation in the Southeast, yet also the political standoff involving the Islamist-leaning AKP government and the secular-oriented military elite.
KHRP, Torture in Turkey: The Current Status of Torture and Ill-treatment´ is available to download at http://www.khrp.org/publish/p2006/TORTURE%20IN%20TURKEY%20The%20Current%20Status.pdf
Or from +44 (0) 20 7405 3835 or email khrp@khrp.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Contact Kerim Yildiz, Executive Director/Rachel Bernu, Deputy Director at
Kurdish Human Rights Project, 11 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1DH
Tel: 020 7405 3835 khrp@khrp.org www.khrp.org
