Activities of Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN related to 2012/2870(RSP)
Plenary speeches (2)
2012 progress report on Turkey (B7-0162/2013) (vote)
2012 progress report on Turkey (debate)
Amendments (11)
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses the need for progress in implementing the 2010 constitutional amendments, in particular the adoption of laws on the protection of personal data and military justice; welcomes the entry into force of legislation providing the right to individual application to the Constitutional Court, as foreseen by the 2010 constitutional amendments;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non-violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers; stresses that reform of the judiciary is an indispensable prerequisite for Turkey's modernisation and that such reform must lead to a modern, efficient, fully independent and impartial judicial system, guaranteeing due process of law for all citizens; draws particular attention in this respect to the trial of Pinar Selek, which has lasted almost 15 years and, despite three acquittal decisions, resulted in a life sentence pronounced on 24 January 2013 by the heavy Penal Court no. 12 in Istanbul;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)
Paragraph 7a (new)
7a. welcomes the adoption and entry into force of legislation providing for the right to defence in Turkish courts in any language other than Turkish; welcomes the entry into force on 19th of January of the law on payment of compensation due to long trial durations and late, partial or non-execution of court verdicts and expresses hope that the foreseen domestic remedy will decrease the number of pending cases against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights;
Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law; notes with concern that most media are owned by and concentrated in large conglomerates with a wide range of interests going beyond the free circulation of information and ideas; reiterates its call for the adoption of a new media law addressing, inter alia, the issues of independence, ownership and administrative control;
Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas; notes that Turkey's 2023 employment target for women is 35%, while the EU 2020 strategy is targeting 75% of women employment; encourages Turkey to strive to achieve an ambitious target of women employment;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety; notes that in a culture of tolerance special attention is needed for minorities and draws particular attention to recent attacks against elderly women of Armenian descent in Istanbul; calls on the Turkish authorities to carry out a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice;
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issue; welcomes and fully supports in this respect the ongoing talks between Turkish officials and Abdullah Öcalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, and appreciates the cross-party and civil society support for this initiative; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21a (new)
Paragraph 21a (new)
21a. Welcomes and expects the speedy implementation of the declaration of the Government of Turkey to reopen a Greek minority school on the island of Gökçeada (Imbros), which constitutes a positive step towards the preservation of the bicultural character of the Turkish islands of Gökçeada (Imbros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos), in line with Resolution 1625 (2008) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; notes, however, that further steps are needed in order to address the problems encountered by members of the Greek minority particularly with regard to their property rights;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Expresses once again its strong support to the reunification of Cyprus, based on a fair and viable settlement for both communities; underlines the urgency of an agreement between the two communities on how to proceed with the substantive settlement negotiations, so that the negotiating process, under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General, can soon regain momentum; calls on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus and transfer the sealed-off area of Famagusta to the UN in accordance with UNSC Resolution 550 (1984); calls, in parallel, on the Republic of Cyprus to open the port of Famagusta under EU customs supervision in order to promote a positive climate for the successful solution of the ongoing reunification negotiations and allow Turkish Cypriots to trade directly in a legal manner that is acceptable to all;
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25a (new)
Paragraph 25a (new)
25a. Emphasises that the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has been signed by the EU, the 27 Member States and all other candidate countries and that it is part of the acquis communautaire; calls, therefore, on the Government of Turkey to sign and ratify it without further delay; recalls the full legitimacy of the Republic of Cyprus' exclusive economic zone in accordance with UNCLOS;
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Reiterates its condemnation, in the strongest terms, of the continuing terrorist violence by the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations, and expresses its full solidarity to Turkey and to the families of the many victims; calls on the Member States, in close coordination with the EU counter terrorism coordinator and Europol, to intensify cooperation with Turkey in the fight against terrorism and organised crime as a source of financing of terrorism; calls on Turkey to adopt a data protection law and legislation on the financing of terrorism so that a cooperation agreement can be concluded with Europol and judicial cooperation with Eurojust and with the EU Member States can further develop; takes the view that the assignment of a police liaison officer to Europol would help improve bilateral cooperation; calls on Turkey to adopt legislation on the financing of terrorism in line with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) recommendations;