OBAMA SHOULD PRESS FOR RIGHTS

AZG DAILY
07-04-2009

International; Turkey

US visit an opening to urge respect for dissent and diversity

President Obama should use his upcoming visit to Turkey to press the
Turkish government on human rights and reform issues, Human Rights
Watch said in a letter to the US president made public today.

The organization said that subjects to be raised should include
protecting minority rights, ending restrictions on free speech,
addressing the lack of accountability for gross violations of human
rights in the recent past through the current Ergenekon trial, and
full constitutional reform.

"Right now, at the beginning of the new administration’s relationship
with Turkey, is an important time to signal strong support for reform
process and to urge the government to reaffirm its commitment to
human rights and democratization," said Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey
researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Obama’s visit to Turkey on April 6 and 7, 2009 comes at a critical
moment in the country’s history. After a hopeful period of progress
under the previous Justice and Development Party (AKP) government,
political and human rights reforms in Turkey have stalled since 2005,
and there has been backtracking on a number of important human rights
concerns.

President Obama is scheduled to meet with the Turkish government
in Ankara on April 6 and to attend the UN Alliance of Civilizations
forum in Istanbul on April 7. He is expected to focus on a number of
foreign policy concerns, and Human Rights Watch has urged him also
to use the opportunity to focus on the pressing need for the Turkish
government to restart human rights reforms at home in the wake of
the government’s win in the March 29 local elections.

To read the letter from Human Rights
Watch to President Obama, please visit:
r-president-obama-advance-his-trip-turkey