2010 ilerleme raporu - Avrupa Birliği Bakanlığı

The amended Law on fundamental principles of elections and the electoral registry enteredinto force on 10 April 2010, de facto allowing use of Kurdish in election campaigns.However, use of any language other than Turkish in political life is still illegal under the Lawon elections and political parties. The courts have been issuing contradictory decisions incourt cases against Kurdish politicians.Diyarbakır High Criminal Court No 4 banned 13 members of Bahar Cultural Centre (BKM)from performing arts for one year. The court ruled that the 13 artists ‘may not take part in anysocial and artistic events’. Members of the BKM Music and Theatre Group were punished forperforming at the Batman Cultural Festival, Newroz celebrations and press gatherings. Themusicians and artists were charged with ‘violating the law on assembly and demonstrations’.One musician has been in pre-trial detention. 13 artists and musicians were each given 10-month prison sentences.In practice, children whose mother tongue is not Turkish cannot learn their mother tongue ineither private or public schools.No measures have been taken to facilitate access to public services for non-speakers ofTurkish. While interpretation during the investigation phase and court hearing is possibleunder the current legislation for suspects, victims or witnesses, it is not consistently applied inpractice.There have been improvements in use of the Kurdish language in prisons. However, this isstill restricted because of security concerns and implementation varies between prisonadministrations. (See chapter on Prisons).As regards Roma, the government launched an ‘opening’, including a workshop and ameeting with the Prime Minister in March.The government submitted to parliament a proposal to amend a discriminatory clause in theLaw on the movement and residence of aliens 30 , which authorises ‘the Ministry of the Interiorto expel stateless and non-Turkish gypsies and aliens that are not bound to the Turkishculture’.In June, the Ministry of the Interior asked all governors about the housing needs of the Romapopulation in each province. It also issued a circular requesting all governors to facilitate theregistration of all ‘persons without a civil registry’. The registration of Roma is an importantstep to ensure their access to public services.However, in the absence of a comprehensive policy to address the situation of Roma, thelatter still face social exclusion and marginalisation in access to education, discrimination inhealth services, exclusion from job opportunities, difficulties in gaining access to personaldocumentation and exclusion from participation in public affairs and public life.The Roma population continues to face socio-economic problems, such as poverty,displacement and lack of social services in the aftermath of the demolition in Roma districtsunder urban renewal programmes in various cities. In January, in western Manisa province,30Law No 5683 on the movement and residence of aliens (Article 21).EN 33 EN