Project hervormingen mensrechten in Turkije (en)

Press release - 350(2007)

Joint press release

Council of Europe / EU Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey /

Human Rights Presidency of Turkey

Human Rights Reforms project in Turkey

Strasbourg, 30.05.2007 - An international symposium on selected European human rights standards and their implementation in Turkey will be organised in the framework of the Project "Support for the Implementation of Human Rights Reforms in Turkey" on 30and 31 May 2007 in Ankara, Hilton Hotel, starting at 9.30. Leading Turkish and international experts, including academics, the Turkish judge at the European Court of Human Rights, Mr R?za Türmen, representatives of the Human Rights Presidency, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Interior, as well as representatives from civil society, will discuss the latest developments on human rights reforms and their implementation in Turkey (see programme attached). The symposium will be followed by a cocktail.

The Symposium is part of the comprehensive project on "Support for the Implementation of Human Rights Reforms in Turkey" financed by the European Commission (four million Euros) and implemented by the Council of Europe in coordination with the Human Rights Presidency.

Thisjoint project is planned to end in November 2007 and aims to ensure that Turkish citizens and civil society as a whole enjoy human rights, in particular rights foreseen by theEuropean Convention of Human Rights, to which Turkey is a party since 1954.

The core activities involve the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior and Human Rights Presidency. They focus on improving knowledge on the European Convention on Human Rights and the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, through training of 450 judges and prosecutors as well as of 2,250 Governors, Deputy Governors, Sub-Governors, police and Gendarmerie officers. The themes, selected together with the Turkish partners, include freedom of expression, fighting terrorism while respecting human rights, management of freedom of assembly and carrying out inspections to places of detention. The project also aims at strengthening further the skills of 180 inspectors of the Inspection Board of the Ministry of Justice and the competencies of the members of the Human Rights Presidency and of 931 Human Rights Boards, through training of trainers and other activities.

In addition, the project will raise public awareness about the work and mandate of the Human Rights Presidency and Human Rights Boards, as well as the concept of human rights, through a professional public relations strategy.

For further information:

Radek Holub, Council of Europe Project Office

Tel: +90 312 405 4160 ; E-mail: radek.holub@coe.int

Banur Ozaydin, Delegation of the EC to Turkey

Tel: + 90 312 459 87 00 ; E-mail: banur.ozaydin@ec.europa.eu

Ahmet Uzak, Human Rights Presidency of Turkey

Tel: +90312430 72 84; E-mail: ahmetuzak63@yahoo.com

Council of Europe Press Division

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60

Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11

pressunit@coe.int