Turkey's EU candidacy

31.5.2013

Question for written answer E-006157-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
William (The Earl of)

At the close of an International Bar Association conference in Istanbul last month (April 2013), the President of the Turkish Bar stunned the audience by announcing that he and nine other lawyers were facing criminal charges because they had made a public declaration in support of the right to a free trial. Their trial will take place in Istanbul on 10 October.

1. Is the Commission aware of the above events?

2. As a candidate country which is negotiating EU membership, Turkey should ensure that it respects the fundamental rights of all its citizens and that it complies with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, as the Commission has pointed out several times in its answers to my questions on the matter. Does the Commission not agree, however, that these facts clearly highlight Turkey’s complete disregard for integration and alignment with the acquis?

OJ C 42 E, 13/02/2014