Torture List: Germany, Geece In; Turkey Out

Turkey, which had been accused of violating human rights in its fight against terrorism, began using the slogan of "zero tolerance for torture" to help rid it of its past record. Positive results of from recent studies are being obtained. While the CPT announced to the world in 1992 that torture was being implemented in Turkey, it has now removed Turkey from among the list of countries that will be under investigation in 2005. The Committee runs the European Covenant on the prevention of torture. Having criticized Turkey for many years about "torture", Belgium’s inclusion to the list drew widespread attention. Germany and Greece were also added to the list with accusations that people whose freedoms were taken away would be examined. The Committee will also investigate human rights violations in Hungary, Norway, the Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia and Ukraine along with these three prominent European countries. A letter to all related units, parliaments and prime ministries announced this development. Turkish Prime Ministry Human Rights Council (HRC) Chairman Associate Professor Vahit Bicak said yesterday the long ago implemented zero tolerance for torture policy, has begun to show its influence.

Human rights organizations have prepared many reports on human rights developments in Turkey. The CPT reports on Turkey gain widespread attention. The Committee, coming to prominence during the1990s, began "uninformed" visits to countries in those days. Reports were written after investigations were conducted regardless of information givenby any authority; however, they were not announced to the public interest. Continuing with these implementations until 1992, CPT made an exception for Turkey. In a public announcement taking into consideration the developments in human rights, the Committee signed a decision after many years in favor of Turkey. The CPT determined the countries in which investigations have been implemented for 2005 into the suffering of people lacking freedoms and excluded Turkey from the list for the first time. The decision was communicated to the Turkish Foreign Ministry in a letter.

The following topics were investigated by the CPT during its 14 visits to Turkey: CPT investigated claims of physical and psychological torture and bad treatment implemented by the police officers during questioning; looking at whether or not people who were arrested were able to meet with their lawyers; the planning of more technical methods; the fight against terrorism being realized through the use of torture and bad treatment; arrested people’s right to demand the doctor of their preference; determination of the inquiry methods; updating cell conditions at police stations and the gendarme; training of the police on human rights and the rehabilitation of physical arrest procedures.