Rights groups unmoved by Turkey's softened state of emergency
As Turkey's state of emergency continues, the government has passed measures establishing a commission for grievances and reducing the period police can hold detainees without charges in what critics call a cosmetic move.
In rare and hopeful sign that Turkey still cares about its fraying ties with Europe, the government has quietly passed a series of new decrees that ease detention terms under the state of emergency that has been in force since the July coup attempt.
The measures, which came into effect on Jan. 23, sharply reduce the detention period for those held without charges from a maximum of 30 days to 14 and allows immediate access to lawyers. They also call for the establishment of a commission to examine complaints arising from detentions, dismissals and closures of companies, including media outlets, under the state of emergency. Those dissatisfied with the commission’s findings will reportedly be able to appeal their cases in domestic courts.
Turkey’s Minister for European Union Affairs Omer Celik said that Turkey deserved applause from the EU “for defending democracy” against the failed putsch.
The move came hours before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe voted on whether to debate Turkey’s status amid ever louder calls for the country to be placed on a monitoring list of members with shoddy human rights records. The debate was voted down.
