B4-0507, 0517, 0532 and 0543/98

Resolution on Turkey

The European Parliament,

A. whereas, on the morning of 12 May 1998, two men entered Akin Birdal's office and opened fire, injuring him with six bullets,

B. whereas Mr Birdal, the President of Turkey¨s Human Rights Association, is a highly respected human rights activist who has regularly provided information to European delegations, ambassadors and a number of Parliament's own Members,

C. whereas Mr Birdal has faced significant pressure from the Turkish authorities and is currently facing a number of legal proceedings on account of his human rights activities,

D. whereas little has been done to bring to justice the perpetrators of attacks against other members of the Human Rights Association,

E. whereas on 21 April 1998 the Diyarbakir State Security Court sentenced the mayor of Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to ten months in jail for "inciting hatred¨ in an alleged anti-secular political speech,

F. whereas Mr Erdogan belonged to the Refah party, which was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in January 1998, and is currently a member of the Fazilet party,

G. whereas legal proceedings have been taken against other members of the party including mayors and businessmen,

The European Parliament,

1. Expresses its shock and outrage at the attack on Akin Birdal, condemns it totally and expresses its solidarity with him and his collaborators in the Human Rights Association of Turkey;

2. Calls on the Turkish authorities to ensure that the material and intellectual authors of this, and other similar crimes, are brought to justice;

3. Concerned that the climate brought about by the existing impunity for those responsible for attacks against other members of human rights organizations and journalists has contributed to such an attack taking place;

4. Calls on the Turkish authorities to take the necessary measures to guarantee Mr Birdal's security and freedom and to cease its persecution of him and his organization;

5. Invites the Turkish authorities to ensure that guarantees are provided for IHD and other human rights NGOs to engage freely in their activities for the defence and promotion of human rights;

6. Calls for a declaration from the EU Presidency on this attack;

7. Expresses its concern at the implications for freedom of political expression of the sentence against Mr Erdogan;

8. Trusts that the Supreme Court of Appeal will reverse the Security Court verdict against Mr Erdogan in line with the position of the state prosecutor;

9. Calls on Turkey¨s government and political parties to implement the necessary legislation for democratization based on freedom of speech and freedom of opinion;

10. Reminds Turkey of its commitments under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international and regional human rights conventions it has ratified;

11. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments of the Member States, the Government of Turkey and the Turkish Grand National Assembly.

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