Turkish parliament adopts new penal code to help EU entry talks
By Amberin Zaman in Istanbul

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH(LONDON)
September 27, 2004, Monday

TURKEY’S parliament last night bowed to European Union demands and
passed a liberalising penal code which should open the way to talks
with Ankara on EU membership.

MPs were recalled from their summer recess after the government of
Recep Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, agreed to drop a plan to
criminalise adultery.

The decision ended a week of crisis with Brussels over Turkey’s
efforts to become the EU’s first predominantly Muslim member.

EU officials said the amended code would help Ankara secure a positive
review of its democratisation process in a crucial report by the
European Commission to be published on Oct 6. EU ministers will
make a final decision in December on holding membership talks. In a
televised address to the nation, Mr Erdogan expressed confidence that
“membership negotiations will start in December”.

The new penal code bars Muslim clerics from engaging in politics
and stiffens penalties for the perpetrators of so-called “honour
killings” of women deemed to have stained their families’ reputation.
Turkey’s increasingly influential women’s groups played a significant
role in pushing for the reforms.

“The change is revolutionary,” said Hulya Gulbahar, who campaigned
for a new law that criminalises the rape of spouses.

Another law scraps reduced sentences for rapists who marry their
victim, and for mothers who murder their babies born out of wedlock.
But EU officials have expressed alarm over a law that effectively
bans free debate of controversial issues such as the 1974 invasion of
Cyprus and the mass slaughter of Turkish Armenians by Ottoman forces
during the First World War.

The passage of the new code followed a week during which Turkey’s
membership application was damaged by Mr Erdogan’s stated desire to
outlaw adultery. EU leaders warned him against the proposal, saying
it suggested that he was seeking to lead Turkey towards Islamic rule.
Mr Erdogan then withdrew the proposal.

The European Right wing is opposed to the inclusion of Turkey. In
Austria, Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel backed the start of accession
talks but suggested that Turkey should be considered for “reduced
membership”.

With its wobbly economy, Turkey is not expected to join the EU for
at least 15 years.

But for many of its 70 million population, tired of decades of corrupt
and authoritarian rule, continued scrutiny by Europe is seen to be
as important to cementing democracy and secular rule as actual EU
membership would be.