HL Deb 30 March 1995 vol 562 c96WA
Lord Hylton

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What inquiries they and the United Kingdom's allies have made of the Turkish Government concerning:

  1. (a) The killing of Mr. Faik Candan near Ankara, and of Mr. Zeki Atlig in Batinan and the deaths of 87 other members of the HADEP, DEP and HEP parties in recent years.
  2. (b) The trial in Ankara of Messrs. Yavuz Onen, Akin Birdal, Husnv Ondal and three other members of Human Rights Association in Turkey, on charges of separatism.

Baroness Chalker of Wallasey:

Our Embassy in Ankara are monitoring the trials of members of the Human Rights Associations in Turkey. We understand that Mr. Yavuz Onen has been acquitted. The trials of the others continue. While we have not raised separately the killings of Faik Candan and Mr. Zeki Atlig, our many representations to the Turkish Government about their human rights performance have included expressions of grave concern at the many incidents of persecution and unlawful killing of lawyers, journalists and others critical of the government. We shall continue to seek progress on democratic reform.