FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EU TURKEY AND THE KURDS

FIFTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EU, TURKEY AND THE KURDS
16) The Conference expresses its deep concern over Turkey’s employment of articles
of the criminal code to prosecute writers, journalists, intellectuals, lawyers
and many other defenders of free speech, including articles 215 (praising
an offence and offender), 216 (incitement to hatred), 217 (provocation to
disobey the law), 220, para. 8 (making propaganda for a criminal organization),
288 (attempt to influence a fair trial) and 301 (insulting the Turkish
nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, Institutions and Bodies of the
State) of the Turkish Penal Code; the Conference calls on the EU to ensure
that Turkey remove restrictions on freedom of expression from their legal
framework entirely;
17) The Conference urges the Turkish government and the parliament to go further
in its reform of Article 301 of the Penal Code and deplores the fact that
no real progress has been achieved regarding freedom of expression a underlining
that further legislative reform, and most importantly, implementation
steps will be required to ensure that Turkey fully guarantees freedom of
expression and press freedom in line with ECHR standards;
18) The conference calls upon the Turkish government to encourage and support
the growth of NGOs and civil society organisations and welcome healthy debate
and constructive criticism as natural and beneficial to a vibrant democracy;
to this end, the conference is appalled by the current climate of fear and
intimidation faced by many in the NGO community, especially those working
on human rights;
19) The Conference calls upon Turkey to fulfil its positive obligations under article
10 of the ECHR to promote a positive climate in which freedom of expression
can flourish, and to protect writers, journalists, intellectuals, lawyers
and many other defenders of free speech from unlawful interference by state
and non-state actors;
20) The Conference welcomes the recent adoption by the Turkish Parliament of
the Law on Foundations and calls upon Turkish authorities to ensure that the
law is implemented in line with the ECHR and the case-law of the European
Court of Human Rights;
21) The Conference calls upon Turkey, following the positive step taken with the
adoption of the Law on Foundations, to fulfil its commitments regarding freedom
of religion by establishing, in line with the ECHR and the case-law of the
European Court of Human Rights, a legal framework enabling all religious
communities to function without undue constraints, in particular as regards
their legal status, training of clergy, election of hierarchy, religious education
and construction of places of worship; calls for the immediate re-opening of
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