HL Deb 01 May 1990 vol 518 c1028WA
Lord Jenkins of Putney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the President and General Secretary of the Turkish Communist Party were imprisoned after their return to Ankara from exile in November 1987: whether the two men have been tortured and have been fasting; and whether they have joined Amnesty International and the European Parliament in urging the Turkish Government to honour their promise that Mr. Sergin and Mr. Kutlu were to be free to form a legal Communist Party on their return to Turkey.

Lord Brabazon of Tara

The General Secretary of the Turkish Workers' Party, Dr. Sergin, and the General Secretary of the Turkish Communist Party, Mr. Kutlu, were both arrested on their return to Turkey in 1987. We are aware of allegations that both were subsequently tortured, but have no independent evidence of this. They began fasting on 6th April, but we understand that their fast has now ended.

The Turkish Government are aware that we expect them to respect and abide by the international human rights obligations to which they are a party.