Strasbourg, 18/12/2000 (Agence Europe) - During Thursday afternoon's emergency debates, MEPs from the main political groups spoke out to denounce the conditions in Turkish prisons - especially the practice of torture - that have led to hunger strikes among the detainees, but the different political groups that tabled resolutions finally withdrew them. "I am happy that this necessary debate is not to lead to a virtuous recommendation, and that our parliament is not an echo chamber to exploit an ongoing crisis", said Philippe Morillon (French, EPP), while recalling that, faced with the "distress of those sentenced", all European countries are considering reforms in view of ensuring greater respect of the human being and more humane conditions of detention. Austrian Social-Democrat Hannes Swoboda and British Liberal-Democrat Andrew Duff spoke along the same lines, and Gorka Knorr Borras, Basque member of the Green Group, said that "good intentions" on the part of the Turkish authorities were not enough, accusing them of wanting an "amnesty that does not deserve its name". People are continued to be tortured in prisons, in police stations, exclaimed Jonas Sjostedt, Swedish member of the United Left. The European Commission shares in your concern, said Chris Patten, while welcoming the decision of the Turkish authorities of transferring certain detainees to prisons where conditions are less harsh. The condition of Trish detainees is raised in a Commission document on the EU/Turkey Partnership, he pointed out.