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Daily Sabah, Turkey
Jan 28 2015
Anti-Semitism foreign concept to Turks, stresses deputy PM
ALI Ã`NAL
GENEVA
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review
(UPR) Working Group discussed Turkey's status in the context of human
rights on Tuesday in Geneva. The delegation, led by Deputy Prime
Minister Bülent Arınç representing Turkey at the meeting, answered
questions and discussed suggestions coming from U.N. member countries
on Turkey's developing works and efforts in human rights since 2010.
Arınç, speaking at the U.N. building in Geneva, emphasized in a speech
that Turkey, at the base of its principle, greatly values and
progresses toward an equal relationship among individuals at
democratic levels, regardless of their identities.
In response to a question presented to him by the U.S. delegation,
Arınç said that Turkey has never been an enemy of the Jewish people:
"Anti-Semitism is a foreign concept to the Turkish population. In
fact, Turkey, throughout its history, has always hosted Jews escaping
from oppression. Any sort of anti-Semitic statement is deeply
condemned and all necessary judicial and/or governmental action is
taken. Yesterday, Jan. 27, is the International Holocaust Remembrance
Day for the victims, and our minister of foreign affairs has
personally attended the ceremony at Auschwitz along with
representatives from our Jewish community. Additionally, the president
of Turkish Parliament along with Turkey's Chief Rabbi Ishak Haleva and
other representatives from the Jewish community will attend the
Commemoration of the Holocaust Victims ceremony in Ankara."
In response to questions asked by representatives from Norway, Germany
and Sweden relating to the freedom of the press in Turkey, Arınç
emphasized the appearance of full pluralism of numerous media
organizations in Turkey and said that there are many newspapers and
television channels in which journalists can freely and independently
work. Arınç also said: "The media sector in Turkey has both those in
support of the government and those who criticize the government.
According to the records from the Radio and Television Supreme Council
[RTÃ`K] in Turkey, excluding channels at the national level, there are
221 private television channels of which 205 are local and 16
regional. According to the Directorate General of Press and
Information, there are 4,074 newspapers available ` 66 national, 68
regional and 3,960 local." Regarding the issue of imprisoned
journalist in Turkey, called "detained journalists" by some, Arınç
said that the detention status of those individuals has no relation to
any sort of journalistic activity and that they were arrested and
detained as part of the Dec. 14 TahÅ?iye investigation and have no
relation to any journalistic profession or activity.
In regard to the prevention of access to Twitter and YouTube last year
in Turkey, Arınç said that the relevant companies were spoken to
regarding the method of warning and removal of content illegal in
Turkey at the time and added: "Despite our efforts with good faith,
the relevant companies remained insensitive to court decisions while
the contents remained available and the court decisions were not
fulfilled. Therefore, as a measure of last resort, blocking access had
to be applied. However, after the decision by the Constitutional
Court, these measures were removed." In response to a question by U.K.
representatives regarding the use of tear gas by police, Arınç said
that there were two separate notices published in 2013, and that the
rules for the use of tear gas and other gases must be repeatedly
respected and followed during their usage, and the helmets of those
forces have been numbered in order to detect those who are using
disproportionate force during protests and demonstrations.
Regarding a question from the Norwegian delegation about the Gezi Park
protests, Arınç said that security officers who had allegedly used
excessive force have been continuing to be meticulously investigated
at the governmental and judicial levels. He also added: "A total of
149 staff had been penalized as a result of the administrative
investigation that was carried out. In the scope of judicial
investigations, there has been 329 investigations opened in 13
provinces in which 59 of those had decided not to prosecute and some
received public action. Finally, in regard to the Ali Ismail Korkmaz
case, two police officers have been sentenced to prison for 10 years
by the Istanbul Penal Court decision on Jan. 21, 2015. Other
investigations are still ongoing."
Arınç also said that Turkey has never limited minorities from various
religious backgrounds from practicing their religion. He also stressed
the fact that since the review began back in May 2010 until today
there have been numerous restorations completed of churches that were
closed to worship by the government and are re-opened for use. Arınç
continued by saying that, "Armenian textbooks prepared by the Ministry
of Education of Turkey began to be distributed free of charge to
students in Armenian schools. The Greek Primary School on Istanbul's
Gökçeada has been re-opened and began its educational activities. In a
kindergarten within the Syriac community foundation, Turkey's Ministry
of Education gave the opportunity to provide Syriac courses as part of
curriculum on certain days and at specific times of the week."
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/01/27/antisemitism-foreign-concept-to-turks-stresses-deputy-pm
Jan 28 2015
Anti-Semitism foreign concept to Turks, stresses deputy PM
ALI Ã`NAL
GENEVA
The United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review
(UPR) Working Group discussed Turkey's status in the context of human
rights on Tuesday in Geneva. The delegation, led by Deputy Prime
Minister Bülent Arınç representing Turkey at the meeting, answered
questions and discussed suggestions coming from U.N. member countries
on Turkey's developing works and efforts in human rights since 2010.
Arınç, speaking at the U.N. building in Geneva, emphasized in a speech
that Turkey, at the base of its principle, greatly values and
progresses toward an equal relationship among individuals at
democratic levels, regardless of their identities.
In response to a question presented to him by the U.S. delegation,
Arınç said that Turkey has never been an enemy of the Jewish people:
"Anti-Semitism is a foreign concept to the Turkish population. In
fact, Turkey, throughout its history, has always hosted Jews escaping
from oppression. Any sort of anti-Semitic statement is deeply
condemned and all necessary judicial and/or governmental action is
taken. Yesterday, Jan. 27, is the International Holocaust Remembrance
Day for the victims, and our minister of foreign affairs has
personally attended the ceremony at Auschwitz along with
representatives from our Jewish community. Additionally, the president
of Turkish Parliament along with Turkey's Chief Rabbi Ishak Haleva and
other representatives from the Jewish community will attend the
Commemoration of the Holocaust Victims ceremony in Ankara."
In response to questions asked by representatives from Norway, Germany
and Sweden relating to the freedom of the press in Turkey, Arınç
emphasized the appearance of full pluralism of numerous media
organizations in Turkey and said that there are many newspapers and
television channels in which journalists can freely and independently
work. Arınç also said: "The media sector in Turkey has both those in
support of the government and those who criticize the government.
According to the records from the Radio and Television Supreme Council
[RTÃ`K] in Turkey, excluding channels at the national level, there are
221 private television channels of which 205 are local and 16
regional. According to the Directorate General of Press and
Information, there are 4,074 newspapers available ` 66 national, 68
regional and 3,960 local." Regarding the issue of imprisoned
journalist in Turkey, called "detained journalists" by some, Arınç
said that the detention status of those individuals has no relation to
any sort of journalistic activity and that they were arrested and
detained as part of the Dec. 14 TahÅ?iye investigation and have no
relation to any journalistic profession or activity.
In regard to the prevention of access to Twitter and YouTube last year
in Turkey, Arınç said that the relevant companies were spoken to
regarding the method of warning and removal of content illegal in
Turkey at the time and added: "Despite our efforts with good faith,
the relevant companies remained insensitive to court decisions while
the contents remained available and the court decisions were not
fulfilled. Therefore, as a measure of last resort, blocking access had
to be applied. However, after the decision by the Constitutional
Court, these measures were removed." In response to a question by U.K.
representatives regarding the use of tear gas by police, Arınç said
that there were two separate notices published in 2013, and that the
rules for the use of tear gas and other gases must be repeatedly
respected and followed during their usage, and the helmets of those
forces have been numbered in order to detect those who are using
disproportionate force during protests and demonstrations.
Regarding a question from the Norwegian delegation about the Gezi Park
protests, Arınç said that security officers who had allegedly used
excessive force have been continuing to be meticulously investigated
at the governmental and judicial levels. He also added: "A total of
149 staff had been penalized as a result of the administrative
investigation that was carried out. In the scope of judicial
investigations, there has been 329 investigations opened in 13
provinces in which 59 of those had decided not to prosecute and some
received public action. Finally, in regard to the Ali Ismail Korkmaz
case, two police officers have been sentenced to prison for 10 years
by the Istanbul Penal Court decision on Jan. 21, 2015. Other
investigations are still ongoing."
Arınç also said that Turkey has never limited minorities from various
religious backgrounds from practicing their religion. He also stressed
the fact that since the review began back in May 2010 until today
there have been numerous restorations completed of churches that were
closed to worship by the government and are re-opened for use. Arınç
continued by saying that, "Armenian textbooks prepared by the Ministry
of Education of Turkey began to be distributed free of charge to
students in Armenian schools. The Greek Primary School on Istanbul's
Gökçeada has been re-opened and began its educational activities. In a
kindergarten within the Syriac community foundation, Turkey's Ministry
of Education gave the opportunity to provide Syriac courses as part of
curriculum on certain days and at specific times of the week."
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/01/27/antisemitism-foreign-concept-to-turks-stresses-deputy-pm