HC Deb 10 April 1989 vol 150 cc357-8W
Mr. Allen

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Turkish authorities about the persistent abuse of human rights in Turkey;

(2) if Her Majesty's Government will urge the Turkish Government to take specific measures against the use of torture in their country, including limiting the length of incommunicado detention, rejecting as evidence in court confessions extracted under torture and reforming the Turkish penal code to allow full freedom of expression and association;

(3) when he will next meet representatives of the Turkish Government to discuss the concern raised by hon. and right hon. Members about the human rights situation in Turkey.

Mrs. Chalker

As I informed the House on 7 and 8 February, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State discussed human rights with the Turkish ambassador on 1 February, as I did the following day. We urged him that his Government should respect and abide by the terms of the international human rights conventions to which Turkey is a party. The Turkish ambassador readily accepted this point, and reaffirmed the determination of his Government to secure further improvements. We also expect Turkey to live up to internationally accepted standards concerning the treatment of prisoners. We have no immediate plans to meet any other representative of the Turkish Government.