ABSTRACT
Turkey stands as the only democratic state with a predominantly Muslim population. Although most of Turkey’s territory lies in the Middle East, its political leaders have created a West European-style constitutional republic with a pro-Western foreign policy. This chapter examines the issue of human rights in Turkey from legal, political, and cultural perspectives and offers information gathered by the author during a fact-finding trip to Turkey in April, 1994. In addition to presenting a general background to Turkey’s human rights problems, the chapter focuses on the legal bases for human rights abuses and the special situation of the Kurds. In response to international criticism concerning torture, parliament passed special legislation to bring Turkey’s criminal procedures in line with its obligations under the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and to sharply reduce, torture and deaths of persons in custody. The Turkish government must act soon, before an irreparable fissure separates Turks from Kurds.
