Activities of Raimon OBIOLS related to 2012/2870(RSP)
Plenary speeches (1)
2012 progress report on Turkey (debate)
Amendments (24)
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12
Citation 12
– having regard to the fact that the positive agenda was launched in May 2012 to support and complement the negotiations through enhanced cooperation in a number of areas of joint interest; having regard to the fact that this initiative does not replace the accessions negotiations but it complements them,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13a (new)
Citation 13a (new)
- having regard to the fact that a number of judiciary, legislative, institutional and practical reforms have taken place in Turkey; however, a number of long- standing problems concerning notably the administration of justice in Turkey continue having serious negative effects on the enjoyment of human rights and freedom of expression in Turkey, as well as the public perception about the independence and impartiality of the justice system; having regard to the fact that as a result of these problems a high number of cases have been launched against journalists, activists and intellectuals,
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 15a (new)
Citation 15a (new)
- having regard to the fact that negotiating chapters for which technical preparations have been concluded should be opened without delay according to established procedures and in line with the Negotiating Framework,
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21
Citation 21
– having regard to the need for Turkey and Armenia to proceed to a normalisation of their relations by ratifying, without preconditions, the protocols and by opening the border,
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Commends the Commission and Turkey for the implementation of the positive agenda, which proves how, in a context of mutual engagement and clear objectives, Turkey and the EU could advance their dialogue, achieve common understanding and produce positive change; believes that a renewed mutual engagement in the context of the accession negotiation process is needed to maintain a constructive relationship; stresses the importance of creating the conditions for a constructive dialogue and the foundations for a common understanding;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Commends the Constitution Conciliation Committee for its commitment to a new Constitution and for the inclusive process of consultation of civil society, which reflected the diversity of Turkish society; encourages the Committee to continue its work and to tackle in a collegial way, and in line with the values of the EU, key issues such as (i) the separation of power and an adequate system of checks and balances, (ii) relations between the State, society and religion, (iii) an inclusive system of governance securing the basic rights of all citizens and (iv) an inclusive concept of citizenship; calls on all political parties and actors concerned to have a constructive approach for negotiating the new constitution;
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Stresses the need for further progress in implementing the 2010 constitutional amendments, in particular the adoption of laws on the protection of personal data and military justice; notes that the presence and the powers of the Minister of Justice and his Undersecretary in the High Council of the Judiciary are causes for considerable concern regarding the independence of the judiciary;
Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Reaffirms the fundamental role of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the centre of Turkey's democratic system and stresses the importance of support and commitment amongst all political parties for the reform process, in particular a valuable legal framework protecting and enhancing fundamental rights for all communities and citizens; reiterates the call made in its previous resolutions for the electoral system to be reformed by lowering the 10% threshold for representation in Parliament thereby strengthening party pluralism and better reflecting the plurality of Turkish society; commends the work of the Human Rights Inquiry Committee and asks for a more central role of the EU Harmonisation Committee to promote the alignment of new legislation with the acquis or with European standards during the legislative process;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rightsStresses that the reform of the Turkish judiciary system is central to the efforts at democratic consolidation in Turkey; underlines that the Turkish judicial system continues to suffer from excessive workload, insufficient independence and lack of impartiality; welcomes the third judicial reform package as a step towards a comprehensive reform process in the area of the judiciary and fundamental rights; points out that a considerable progress has been made related to the training of the members of the judiciary and the technological infrastructure of the justice system; stresses however the crucial importance to continue the reform process with a fourth judicial reform package addressing (a) the issues related to the excessively broad definitions of criminal offences under the Criminal Law or the Anti-Terror Law, with the urgent need to introduce a clear distinction between the promotion of terrorism and the incitement to violence and the expression of non- violent ideas, in order to safeguard freedom of expression, (b) the issue of the excessively long pre-trial detention periods, and (c) the need to allow full access to the prosecution file for defence lawyers, d) the need to abolish any kind of special courts and the cases that are being processed by them;
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7a (new)
Paragraph 7a (new)
7a. Is concerned about ongoing trials and long pre-trial detention periods, which affect activists, lawyers, journalists and members elected to the TGNA from the opposition parties, which represents an interference in legal political activities and the right to political association and participation; welcomes the abolition of special courts established by the Turkish Government in 2005 as voted in Parliament but regrets the fact that the closure will not affect the existing prosecutions;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8a (new)
Paragraph 8a (new)
8a. Underlines the importance of providing effective protection for human- rights defenders; expresses concern about continuing court cases against human- rights defenders and their continued prosecution; in this respect, draws particular attention to the trial of the writer, sociologist and feminist Pinar Selek, which has lasted almost 15 years and, despite three acquittal decisions, resulted in a life sentence pronounced on 24 January 2013; strongly condemns this decision, pointing out that the long duration of the court case raises questions as regards the right to liberty and security, as well as the right to a fair trial, enshrined respectively in Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Recalls that freedom of expression and media pluralism are core European values and that a truly democratic society requires true freedom of expression, including the right of dissent; highlights the special role of Public service media in strengthening democracy, and calls on the authorities to ensure its independence, sustainability and compliance with European standards; is concerned that the considerable progress made in this area with the previous reforms has been reversed and Turkey now has the highest number of the ECtHR decisions for violations of freedom of expression among all the Council of Europe members; reiterates the need to amend articles 26 and 28 of the Constitution, which limit the freedom of expression on the basis of national security, public order and national unity, as well as the need to reform the articles of the Penal Code and Anti-Terror Law that are used to restrict free speech; is concerned in particular that the Penal Code and Anti-Terror Law are used to persecute non-violent statements when they are perceived to support the aims of a terrorist organisation; underlines the importance of abolishing legislation providing for disproportionately high fines on the media, leading in some cases to their closure or to self-censorship, and the urgent need to reform the internet law;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9a (new)
Paragraph 9a (new)
9a. Is concerned that the Act on the Establishment of Radio and Television Enterprises and their Broadcasts contains restrictions on the freedom of media open to subjective interpretation, such as "protection of the family" and "public morality", which are not contained in the EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9b (new)
Paragraph 9b (new)
9b. Is concerned with the excessive use of force by the police observed in demonstrations concerning the Kurdish issue, students rights and trade union rights; stresses that, despite legal improvements, torture and ill-treatment by the security forces remain a major concern;
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9c (new)
Paragraph 9c (new)
9c. Considers that Turkey's political parties' regime remains a fundamental constraint on the freedom of association; calls on Turkey to constitutionally restrict closure to only those political parties that advocate the use of violence as a means to overthrow the constitutional order, in line with the Venice Commission recommendations;
Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Notes that, in the ‘'sledgehammer’' trial a first instance court sentenced 324 suspects to 13-20 years; stresses that investigations of alleged coup plans, such as the ‘'Ergenekon’' and ‘'Sledgehammer’' cases, must demonstrate the strength and the proper, independent, impartial and transparent functioning of Turkish democratic institutions and the judiciary, and their firm, unconditional commitment to respect for fundamental rights; is concerned about the allegations regarding the use of inconsistent evidence; regrets that against the defendants in these cases; regrets that the legitimacy of these cases haves been overshadowundermined by concerns about their excessively wide scope and the shortcomings in the proceedings, thus fuelling the existing polarisation in the society and hampering the democratic consolidation;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14a (new)
Paragraph 14a (new)
14a. Stresses the importance of active and independent civil society organisations (CSO's) for democracy; underlines the importance of dialogue with CSO's and stresses their crucial role in contributing to enhanced regional cooperation on social and political aspects; is therefore worried that CSO's continues to face fines, closure proceedings, and administrative obstacles to their operations and that consultation of CSO's remains to be an exception rather than the rule; welcomes the Turkish government's improved cooperation with NGOs, but calls for their broader consultation in policy-making, including the formulation of policies and legislation and in the monitoring of activities of the authorities;
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14b (new)
Paragraph 14b (new)
14b. Notes the limited progress in the areas of labour and trade union rights; regrets that the legislation on civil servants' trade unions rights is still not in line with EU and ILO standards and that collective actions by trade unions suffer numerous restrictions; calls on Turkey to continue working on new legislation in this area to ensure that it is in line with the EU acquis and ILO conventions;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas; encourages the government to revise the Law on Political Parties and the Law on Elections to make the inclusion of women a priority for political parties;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Welcomes the Law on the protection of family and prevention of violence against women; commends the National Action Plan to combat Violence against Women (2012-2015) and stresses the need to enforce it effectively nationwide; regrets the increase in recent years of the rate of women murdered in Turkey, calls on the Ministry for Family and Social Policies to continue its efforts to increase the number and quality of shelters for women and minors in danger; stresses the importance to provide women who have been victims of violence with concrete alternatives and self-sustainment prospects; urges Turkey to continue to step up its preventive efforts at all levels in the fight against ‘honour killings’, domestic violence and the phenomenon of forced marriages and child brides; calls on the Ministry to continue to actively promote women's participation in the labour market, which remains low, in politics and at senior level in the administration and the private sector, if necessary by foreseeing reserved quotas;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Stresses the urgent need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation and the establishment of an anti- discrimination and equality board to protect individuals against discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or sexual identity; calls on Turkey to adopt an action plan to promote the full equality of rights and full acceptance of LGBT persons;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Welcomes the continued implementation of legislation amending the 2008 law on foundations and broadening the scope of the restoration of the property rights of non-Muslim communities; calls on the relevant authorities to assist the Syriac community in clarifying the difficulties faced with property and land registration; calls for a solution for the large number of properties of the Latin Catholic Church which remain confiscated by the State; recalls the urgent need to continue vital and substantial reform in the area of freedom of thought, conscience and religion, in particular by enabling religious communities to obtain legal personality, by eliminating all restrictions on the training, appointment and succession of clergy, by recognising Alevi places of worships and by complying with the relevant judgments of the ECtHR and the recommendations of the Venice Commission; calls on Turkey to fully recognise minority rights and to ensure that the Saint Gabriel monastery is not deprived of its lands, and that it is protected in its entirety;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Notes that Turkey continued to demonstrate resilience at the terrorist attacks by the PKK; calls on Turkey to invest renewed efforts towards a political solution to the Kurdish issueonsiders that a truly and sincere political dialogue is necessary to path a solution of the Kurdish issue in Turkey; condemns the recent events in Paris where three Kurdish activists where murdered and hopes that these events does not undermine the on-going dialogue between the Turkish Government and the Kurdish representatives; asks all political forces to ensure an adequate political platform and to debate in a constructive way the Kurdish issue and to facilitate a real opening to the claims for basic rights in the Constitutional process which reflects the pluralism in Turkey and in which all citizens can find themselves and their rights fully recognised.; asks all political forces to work in alliance towards the goal of reinforced political dialogue and a process of further political, cultural and socio-economic inclusion and participation of citizens of Kurdish origin, in order to guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and promote the peaceful inclusion of citizens of Kurdish origin into Turkish society; recalls that a political solution can only be built upon a truly democratic debate on the Kurdish issue and expresses concern at the large number of cases launched against writers and journalists writing on the Kurdish issue and the arrest of several Kurdish politicians, mayors and members of municipal councils, trade unionists, lawyers, protestors and human rights defenders in connection with the KCK trial; underlines the importance of promoting a discussion of the Kurdish issue within the democratic institutions, particularly the TGNA;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Is concerned about the disproportionally high poverty rate among children, particularly in rural areas; stresses the need for a comprehensive strategy to combat child poverty and labour and promote access to education; welcomes the establishment of an Ombudsperson for children's rights and the adoption of Turkey's first strategy on the rights of the child; is concerned that the number of active juvenile justice courts has decreased and urges Turkey to provide alternatives to detention for minors; calls for major improvements in conditions of the detention centres for minors; recalls the importance of independent monitoring and protection mechanisms to protect rights and prevent abuse;