Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA2909
2003-05-05 15:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

EU-RELATED DRAFT REFORM BILL REFLECTS GOT STRUGGLE

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM TU 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002909 

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU
SUBJECT: EU-RELATED DRAFT REFORM BILL REFLECTS GOT STRUGGLE
OVER HUMAN RIGHTS REFORM


REF: A. 02 ANKARA 8564

B. ISTANBUL 202

C. 02 ANKARA 8881

D. 02 ANKARA 7290


Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 b and d.


C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 002909

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE


E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2008
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM TU
SUBJECT: EU-RELATED DRAFT REFORM BILL REFLECTS GOT STRUGGLE
OVER HUMAN RIGHTS REFORM


REF: A. 02 ANKARA 8564

B. ISTANBUL 202

C. 02 ANKARA 8881

D. 02 ANKARA 7290


Classified by Polcouns John Kunstadter; reasons 1.5 b and d.



1. (C) Summary: The GOT has prepared a new package of
EU-related legislative reforms, which it expects to introduce
in Parliament by late May. Proposed measures relating to
Kurdish broadcasting and non-Muslim foundations are designed
to loosen restrictive regulations adopted pursuant to
previous reforms. According to some press accounts, the
Justice Ministry has watered down or eliminated some elements
of the package. The piecemeal nature of the package reflects
internal GOT conflict over human rights reform and EU
membership. End Summary.


--------------
Measure by Measure
--------------



2. (U) The original draft includes the following measures:



3. (C) Kurdish Broadcasts: Broadcasting regulations would be
amended to allow private TV and radio outlets to broadcast in
Kurdish and other traditional non-Turkish languages.
Regulations adopted in November allow such broadcasts only on
outlets of TRT, the state-owned media company (reftel A).


-- Analysis: This is the second effort by the GOT and
Parliament to loosen restrictions on Kurdish broadcasting.
Legislators in August 2002 adopted a measure making such
broadcasts legal, but subsequent implementing regulations
placed tight restrictions on the practice, which U.S. and EU
observers sharply criticized. TRT is conducting a study to
determine which minority languages are needed in which
regions, but to date there are no such broadcasts on the air.
Our sources say TRT officials resent being tasked with
creating the new programming without additional resources.
While this amendment promises to remove one obstacle, other
obstacles, including a strict time limit, would apparently
remain in place. The tug-of-war over Kurdish broadcasting
reflects a wider struggle that pits pro-EU, pro-reform
elements of the GOT -- dominated by officials from the MFA
and Justice Ministry and some members of Parliament --
against nationalistic opponents in the military, judiciary,

and bureaucratic offices dealing with religion, broadcasting,
and higher education.



4. (C) Places of Worship: The Act on Construction would be
amended to allow for the building of "houses of worship"
rather than "mosques," removing a legal obstacle to the
construction of non-Muslim places of worship.


-- Analysis: Asligul Ugdul, director for political affairs at
the GOT's EU Secretariat, told us this article was added
under pressure from the German Government. A community of
approximately 7,000 Germans in the Alanya region on the
Mediterranean Coast has been unable to receive permission to
build a church under the existing legislation. As long as
permission depends on local authorities, we expect delays and
obstruction to continue even under a new amendment.



5. (U) Election Broadcasts: Restrictions on pre-election
campaign broadcasting would be reduced from one week to 24
hours before election day. Sanctions would be directed at
specific programs rather than stations.


-- Analysis: In the run-up to the November elections the GOT
closed a number of TV and radio stations for violating the
principles of "impartial broadcasting" and "equality among
political parties."



6. (C) Minority Foundations: Recent regulations allowing
non-Muslim community foundations to own property (reftels
B-D) would be amended to extend the application deadline from
six months to 18 months from the date of the original
legislation. The original deadline expired in February 2003;
this measure would apparently extend it to February 2004.


-- Analysis: As in the case of Kurdish broadcasting, there
has been an internal struggle over this reform. A broadly
worded legal amendment adopted by Parliament in August was
followed by a restrictive implementing regulation widely
criticized by non-Muslim groups. Parliament in January
passed a follow-on amendment addressing one such criticism by
simplifying the approval process for acquiring property.
This measure is an attempt to address another common
criticism. However, the new amendment will not overcome
other bureaucratic obstacles raised by local officials.



7. (C) Anti-Terrorism Law: Article 8 of the Anti-Terror law
would be repealed. This measure outlaws written and oral
communication "aiming at damaging the indivisible unity of
the State."
-- Analysis: Article 8 is one of the measures the GOT has
traditionally used to silence its critics. Though it is
purportedly an anti-terror measure, it is used primarily to
punish critical speech that has no link to violence. The EU
has called for the elimination of this measure. According to
a press report, the Justice Ministry has changed the reform
package so that Article 8 would be revised rather than
repealed (Note: There are conflicting press reports. Embassy
will confirm status of the package and report septel. End
Note).



8. (U) Deletion of Criminal Records: Criminal Records
legislation would be amended to allow for the deletion of
records in cases where the European Court of Human Rights has
ruled in favor of a defendant, or where a friendly settlement
has been reached.


-- Analysis: According to a press report the Justice Ministry
has dropped this draft amendment.



9. (U) Honor Killings: The Penal Code would be amended to
remove measures allowing for lighter sentences in cases of
"honor killings" -- the killing by immediate family members
of women who are suspected of being unchaste.


-- Analysis: Existing legislation appears to condone this
practice, which occurs most often in conservative, Kurdish
families.



10. (U) Kurdish Names: Census legislation would be amended to
remove the prohibition against names that are contrary to the
"national culture" and "customs and traditions."


-- Analysis: Existing legislation is frequently used to ban
traditional Kurdish names. In some cases, parents have been
charged with a crime for selecting such names.



11. (C) Broadcasting and Film Boards: Regulations would be
amended to remove National Security Council (NSC) nominees
from the High Board of Radio and Television, as well as the
NSC representative from the Cinema, Video and Musical Works
Council.


-- Analysis: These measures are designed to reduce the
military's censorship authority. The military-dominated NSC
has long been criticized for its role in restricting speech
critical of the State. The Justice Ministry has reportedly
dropped this draft amendment.


--------------
Comment - European Reaction
--------------



12. (C) Several European diplomats told us the draft package,
at least in its initial form, appears to represent another
positive step toward meeting EU membership criteria.
However, a visiting official from the UK MFA's EU Enlargement
Department complained that this package, like previous reform
packages, is piecemeal and not prioritized in accordance with
EU reports. This lack of order reflects the dynamics of the
GOT's reform efforts. Our contacts tell us officials in the
MFA and EU Secretariat have prepared extensive draft
legislation designed to meet fully EU membership criteria.
The officials hold onto these drafts, pulling various
elements together into packages and sending them to the
relevant ministries when they sense there is the political
will to act on them. If the reports of major revisions to
this package are accurate, it would appear that the
pro-reform technocrats miscalculated on the political will to
promote some of these measures.






PEARSON