Strasbourg, 19/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - By adopting, during its debate on topical issues, a resolution on the situation in Turkish prisons, the European Parliament condemned any excessive sue of force by the security forces intervening in the penitentiary sectors and call son the Turkish government and parliament to Turkish government and parliament to create an independent investigation Commission. The EP support the demands pushing for the prisoners to be examined by independent doctors designated by the Order of Doctors and invites the Turkish authorities to "find a new social and political consensus on the reform of the penitentiary systems based on peaceful methods, the respect for human rights and good international practices". The Turkish government welcomed a delegation of EP MEPs in the prisons towards which the transfers where made. The Parliament, which notes that these events bear witness to the urgency there is for continuing the works towards the reform of the penal code and to implement without delay the necessary reforms for the improvement of the penitentiary and judicial systems, regrets the selective nature of the clemency law recently adopted and calls for significant efforts to be deployed to free the political prisoners.
The Italian Green elected in Belgium Monica Frassoni said that it is necessary to recognise that the Turkish authorities had lost all control in certain prisons, that they are responsible and that they must today bring solutions.. We must recognise that the development has been positive" even if it is necessary to remain critical, felt on the other hand the British Conservative Geoffrey Van Orden when noting that the present problems are linked to the refusal by certain groups to renounce power in the prisons, and that "the answer of the forces of the law is the consequence". According to the Greek Socialist Giorgos Katiforis, the Turkish government should have sought a compromise on the reform of the penitentiary. "it is pointless to talk of the prison system in Turkey", felt Hwerman Schmid (GUE/NGL, Sweden) when asserting that the true problem remains that of the political prisoners who continue their activities in the prisons.
Commissioner Poul Nielson indicated that the Commission shares these concerns and launches a call to the Turkish authorities for them to find a peaceful solution.