Turkey undermines ECHR

Authority of European Court of Human Rights undermined by Turkey

A recent report by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights of the Council of Europe (December 2001), expressed concerns about the persistent unwillingness of Turkey to implement decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. The report, which calls Turkey a “special case” due to the large amount of decisions against it that have not been implemented, recommends to the Assembly that the Turkish Minister of Justice should be invited to the June 2002 part-session to confer on the matter.

According to the report, Turkey has 193 cases before the Committee of Ministers, including 56 which raise major issues, such as the undue length of police custody, torture and ill treatment or violation of freedom of expression. All attempts by the Assembly to ensure compliance by Turkey have failed to yield results, with the Turkish side avoiding to even meet the Council’s Human Rights Committee. The Assembly calls the Turkish stance “deplorable”.

Of course the Turkish policy of showing total disrespect of European institutions and resolutions of the United Nations, is well known to the Greek Cypriots. Turkey has persistently refused to comply with the Decision of the Court on the Titina Loizidou case which found Turkey guilty of denying Mrs Loizidou access to and enjoyment of her property. The Court ordered Turkey in 1998 to pay Mrs Loizidou close to a million US dollars in costs and compensation. Turkey’s refusal to comply makes it the first country in the 50-year history of the ECHR to do so, thus is seriously undermining the authority and effectiveness of the supreme court of Europe.

Those politicians in Europe and elsewhere who ignore these facts and want Turkey to enter the European family of civilised nations should think again.