EU issues rights red card to Turkey

Turkey must scrap draconian laws and speed up the pace of human rights reform if Ankara is make the EU grade, Brussels has warned.

The European Commission signalled the need for faster reforms in an annual progress report released on Wednesday.

“The pace of reform has slowed in 2005,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told reporters on Wednesday.

“It still remains uneven and significant further efforts are needed – especially on women’s rights and religious expression.”

Rehn set out a five-point plan for Turkey: zero tolerance on torture, improved women’s rights, increased freedom of expression, acceptance of religious equality and full trade union rights. 

The commission has issued Ankara with a red card on freedom of speech, attacking laws that criminalise the “denigration of Turkish national identity”.

“Prosecutors continue to open court cases against individuals who express non-violent opinon on the basis of the new penal code. If this trend continues…the penal code will need to be amended,” the commission warns.

Rehn acknowledged this warning is an “obvious reference to Orhan Pamuk” - the Turkish novelist prosecuted for his comments on the mass killing of Armenians in 1915.

Ankara says his remarks insult his country's national character.

Religious freedoms

Christians and minority Muslim sects continue to complain of restrictions on religious expression throughout Turkey - and Wednesday’s paper also calls for urgent action in the area.

“Despite some ad hoc measures, the problems encountered by non-Muslim religious minorities persist and there is an urgent need to adopt legislation in line with the EU,” the paper says.

“This is certainly one of the long-standing issues for the European commission in the context of minority rights and religious freedoms,” an EU diplomat explained.

Market economy status

The commission confirms that Turkey may now be granted “market economy” status - a vital hurdle on the road to membership.

Rehn said Turkey deserved a pat on the back for its progress in this area.

“On a positive note, the commission has duly rewarded progress by recognising Turkey as a functioning market economy,” he explained before adding, “as long as reform is maintained in the country”.

Officials in Ankara hope the new status will enhance confidence in the country's economy.

“The financial sector remains relatively weak,” the commission explained.

“EU standards are not entirely adopted, but there is progress towards a more transparent and efficient legal framework.”

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