§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consult within the European Union, with a view to joint monitoring of the trial in the Istanbul State Security Court of the writer Yasar Kemal on 7th March, on charges under Article 312 of the Penal Code and Article 8 of the Anti-Terror Law, the grounds for which includes an article by Mr. Kemal, The dark cloud over Turkey, published in Index on Censorship 1 1995; and how this trial can be reconciled with the Turkish government's assurances, at the time when the decision of the European Parliament on Turkey's entry into the customs union was awaited, that continued progress would be made towards greater freedom of expression in Turkey.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyAn official of our Consulate-General in Istanbul will attend the trial of Yasar Kemal on 7th March. We shall follow the proceedings closely. The Turkish Prime Minister assured Members of the European Parliament in December 1995 of a commitment to continuing reform and to progress towards the fullest possible political rights and liberties, and acknowledged that further progress was needed. We will urge the new government, when it is in place, to sustain this commitment, and act to encourage greater freedom of expression in Turkey.