Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03ANKARA3921
2003-06-18 13:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:  

TURKEY: BALKANS WITNESS SECURITY

Tags:  PREL EAID PGOV ZL TU 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003921 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2013
TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV ZL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: BALKANS WITNESS SECURITY


REF: A. SECSTATE 125097

B. ANKARA 3896


Classified by acting Political Counselor Nicholas S. Kass.
Reason: 1.5(b)(d)


C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 003921

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2013
TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV ZL TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: BALKANS WITNESS SECURITY


REF: A. SECSTATE 125097

B. ANKARA 3896


Classified by acting Political Counselor Nicholas S. Kass.
Reason: 1.5(b)(d)



1. (U) Responding to ref A questions, Atalay Ozdemiroglu,
Assistant Chief of the GOT Ministry of Interior's Department
of Organized Crime and Smuggling (Research Division),
informed us June 17 that Turkey:


-- has no legal regional witness security programs;


-- makes witness protection decisions through the courts,
with the police providing security accordingly;


-- does not have legislation authorizing participation in
foreign witness security programs;


-- signed the Council of Europe's witness protection
legislation No. 31/99/5Y1207(04) on November 23, 1995;


-- has not yet implemented the Council of Europe's witness
protection legislation.



2. (C) Ozdemir also said that he had been working closely
with FBI regarding Turkish witness protection programs. He
noted that Turkish representatives will be attending a
regional conference in Bosnia "in two days" to help develop a
witness protection data base.



3. (U) Comment: Turkey does not operationalize witness
security as a "program" per se. Art. 20 of the 1991
Anti-Terror Law says in relevant part that "the State will
take necessary protective measures...for witnesses and
informants who assist" in the prosecution specifically of
terrorist crimes. These measures include plastic surgery and
alteration of records. Application of these measures is
specified by guidelines issued by the Office of the Prime
Minister.
PEARSON