Stoning of Semsiye Alak in the village of Yalim in Turkey, response of the Committee.

Parliamentary Questions

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2392/03

Submission: Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the Commission

(10 July 2003)

Subject: Stoning of Semsiye Alak in the village of Yalim in Turkey

E-2392/03EL

Answer from Mr. Verheugen.

on behalf of the Commission

(4 September 2003)

The Committee is aware of the reports in the international press regarding the events mentioned by the Honorable Member of Parliament.

Turkey, as a candidate country, has undertaken the obligation to comply with the Copenhagen political criteria. Among these criteria is the principle of gender equality as well as respect for various economic, social, and cultural rights. This fact appears to be even more of a priority in the revised Accession Partnership with Turkey, in order to ensure “the full legal and practical respect for human rights and the fundamental freedoms of every individual without discrimination, regardless of language, race, color, sex, political opinions, religion, or beliefs, in accordance with the relevant international and European acts.”

Already, in its periodic report published in 2002 [1], the Commission places special emphasis on the issue of honor crimes and explicitly states that in Turkey “for honor crimes, reduced sentences are provided, which may be further reduced if the defendant is a minor.”

In the sixth package of political reforms, which was passed by the Turkish Parliament on June 19, 2003, certain measures were included to address the problem of “honor crimes.” Specifically, Article 453 of the Penal Code was amended to increase the penalty for the killing of infants out of wedlock from four to eight years to six to ten years. Article 462, which provided for a reduction in the sentence for honor crimes, was abolished.

The Commission will continue to closely monitor the situation, especially the implementation of these new provisions.

[1] COM (2002) 700 final