TURKEY TO ESTABLISH QUARTET MECHANISM FOR DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVE (2)
ANKARA - The Turkish interior minister said on
Friday that Turkey would establish a quartet mechanism within the scope
of its democratic initiative.
Turkey's Interior Minister Besir Atalay hold a press conference and named those four mechanisms as an independent Turkish Human Rights Agency, an Anti-Discrimination and Equality Board, a commission where people could report complaints about security forces, and ratification of the optional protocol to the Convention against Torture.
"These mechanisms aim to protect fundamental rights and freedoms of people living in these borders, irrespective of their ethnic origin, belief, gender and political preference," Atalay said.
Atalay said the Turkish Human Rights Agency would work as an independent and objective institution, and examine individual human rights complaints.
The interior minister defined the Anti-Discrimination and Equality Board as a mechanism that would work to prevent any type of discrimination and any violation and that would be authorized to fine those who were guilty.
Atalay said the commission where people could report complaints about security forces would be comprised of representatives of public institutions, universities, bars and human rights boards.
"The commission will not only protect the citizens but also the security forces in case of unjust accusations," he said.
Atalay said Turkey would establish a national prevention mechanism within a year after the Turkish parliament adopted the optional protocol to the Convention against Torture.
On July 22, 2009, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his government initiated a move to deal with Kurdish issue and the Ministry of Interior was assigned with the coordination of this task.
A week later, Interior Minister Besir Atalay said their government believed the Kurdish issue would be solved with an egalitarian approach through democratization.
On November 3, 2009, the government submitted a motion foreseeing a general debate at the parliament on all aspects of the "democratic initiative" process.
The parliament held its preliminary debate on the motion on November 10, 2009.
