Human Rights in Turkey - Commitment To International Human Rights Law

Commitment To International Human Rights Law

The Republic of Turkey has entered various human rights commitments, some of which are expressed in the 1982 Turkish Constitution, Part Two of which guarantees "fundamental rights and freedoms" such as the right to life, security of person, and right to property. In addition, Turkey has signed a number of treaties, shown in the tables below:

International Bill of Human Rights
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 15 Aug 2000 (s)
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 15 Aug 2000 (s) 23 Sept 2003 (r)
Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 3 Feb 2004
Women's Human Rights
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 20 Dec 1985 (a)
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 8 Sep 2000 (s), 29 Oct 2002 (r)
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 13 Dec 2000 (s), 25 Mar 2003 (r)
Protection from Torture, Ill-Treatment and Disappearance
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 11.01.88 (s), 26.02.88 (r)
Protocol No. 2 to the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment 10 May 1995 (s), 17.09.97 (r)
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 25.01.88 (s), 02.08.88 (r)
Terrorism and Human Rights
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
International Convention Against the Taking of Hostages 15.08.89 (a)
International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombing 20 May 1999 (s), 30 May 2002 (r)
International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism 27.09.01 (s), 28.06.02 (r)
International Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft 16 Dec 1970 (s), 17.04.73 (r)
International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against International Protected Persons 6 Mar 1998 (r)
Regional Conventions
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 4 Now 1950 (s), 18 May 1954 (r)
Protocol to the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 20 Mar 1952 (s), 22.06.53 (r)
Protocol No.2 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 6 May 1963 (s), 25 Mar 1968 (r)
Protocol No.3 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 6 May 1963 (s), 25 Mar 1968 (r)
Protocol No.4 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 19 Oct 1962
Protocols 5-8 of the ECHR
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
Protocol No.5 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 14 May 1971 (s), 20 Dec 1971 (r)
Protocol No.6 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 15.01.03 (s)
Protocol No.7 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 14 Mar 1985
Protocol No. 8 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 04.02.86 (s), 19.09.89 (r)
Protocols 9-12 of the ECHR
s for signature; r for ratification; a for accession
Protocol No. 9 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 6 Now 1990 (s)
Protocol No. 10 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 28.02.96 (s), 5 May 1998 (r)
Protocol No. 11 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 28.02.96 (s), 5 May 1998 (r)
Protocol No. 12 to the 1950 European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 04.11.00 (s)
  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1949.
  • The European Convention on Human Rights (1954) places Turkey under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In 1987, Turkey accepted the right to apply individually to the ECtHR (Article 25 of the European Convention on Human Rights = ECHR) and 1990 recognised the compulsory jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights under Article 46 of the ECHR.

In October 2009 the European Commission on Enlargement to the European Union attested Turkey some progress on observance of international human rights law. However, implementation of some ECtHR judgments requiring legislative amendments has been outstanding for several years. Further efforts are needed to strengthening the institutional framework on human rights, in particular as regards the establishment of an independent human rights institution and of an Ombudsman.

Read more about this topic:  Human Rights In Turkey

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