Arinc: Number Of Turkish People’s Applications To E.C.H.R. Has Dropped

Anadolu Agency
May 20 2004

STRASBOURG – Number of Turkish people’s applications to the European
Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has dropped, Turkish Parliament Speaker
Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday.

Arinc, who is currently in Strasbourg to attend conference of
parliament speakers of member countries to the Council of Europe,
held separate talks with ECHR Vice President Jean Paul Costa and
Turkish jurists at the ECHR on Wednesday.

Holding a news conference following the meetings, Arinc said,
“number of Turkish people’s applications to the ECHR about right
to live, torture and maltreatment have dropped. It is a pleasing
development. Reforms made in democratization in Turkey have a
significant role in this development. Turkish people do not apply to
the ECHR about freedom of expression and closure of political parties
any longer. Our government has been making legal changes for a more
free life in Turkey.”

Upon a question about decision of the State Security Court (DGM)
in the re-trial process of former deputies of the Democracy Party
(DEP) which was banned by the Constitutional Court, Arinc said that
the ECHR had made some legal objections to the DEP case.

“Following decision of the ECHR, former deputies of the DEP were
re-tried, and the court ratified its first decision in accordance with
Article 341/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMUK) arranging the
decision to be made in retrial process,” he said.

Recalling that the jurisdiction was independent in modern and
democratic societies, Arinc said that judicial independence was valid
in Turkey, and no one could affect decisions of courts.

Arinc also gave information about his meetings at the Council of
Europe.

He recalled that he had held very positive and constructive bilateral
meetings with parliament speakers of Greece, Georgia, Armenia and
Russia.

Arinc is expected to return to Turkey on Thursday.