SUPPORTING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY: The U.S. Records 2006.

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The «Supporting Human Rights and Democracy : The U.S. Record 2006» report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 665 of P.L. 107-228, the FY 03 Foreign Relations Authorization Act, which requires the Department to report on actions taken by the U.S. Government to encourage respect for human rights. This fifth annual submission complements the longstanding Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2006, and takes the next step, moving from highlighting abuses to publicizing the actions and programs the United States has employed to end those abuses. This one is Released April 5, 2007.

The capital of Europe and Eurasia report (p. 108 - 147) it includes departments for the following countries: Azerbaidjan, Armenia, Bosnia, Georgia Belarus, Moldavia, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia (with particular department for Kosovo) and Turkey.

This Report of the State Department with regard to records USA by year's 2006 in the sector of human rights and democracy, in this capital are subjects concerning also for Turkey - Ecumenical Patriarchate, subjects in witch the American Greek Emigrants has so much interest, also has interest for Greeks and Europeans .   

Europe and Eurasia

Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2006

Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

Turkey

Turkey is a constitutional republic with a multiparty parliamentary system and a president with limited powers elected by the single-chamber parliament, the Turkish Grand National Assembly. In the 2002 parliamentary elections, the Justice and Development Party (AKP) won the majority of seats and formed a one party government. During the year the government faced the major challenges of increasing the legal accountability of government security forces, reducing restrictions on free speech, and modernizing societal attitudes with respect to practices such as «honor killings» of women.

Although reform of the criminal code helped to reduce torture and improve due process for defendants, the government struggled to fully implement the new laws. The number of arrests and prosecutions of security forces for committing extrajudicial killings was low compared with the number of incidents, and convictions remained rare. Members of the security forces occasionally tortured, beat, and otherwise abused persons. Prison conditions remained poor, with problems of overcrowding and insufficient staff training. Law enforcement officials did not always provide detainees immediate access to attorneys as required by law.

The executive branch at times undermined the independence of the judiciary, and the overly close relationship of judges and prosecutors continued to limit the right to a fair trial.

Excessively long trials were also a problem.

The government restricted freedom of expression through the application of constitutional provisions and numerous laws, including articles of the Penal Code that prohibit insults to the government, the state, «Turkish identity,» or the institution and symbols of the republic.

Non-Muslim religious groups and Alevis continued to face restrictions on practicing their religion openly, owning property, and training leaders.

Violence against women, including rape, continued to be a widespread problem.

Child marriage was a problem.

Police corruption at all levels contributed to trafficking in women and children to and within the country for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The United States promoted human rights and democracy through programs that addressed a broad range of issues, including police and judicial practices, religious freedom, freedom of expression, government ethics, trafficking in persons, and the right of return for internally displaced persons, most of whom are Kurds. To implement this strategic vision, U.S. officials in the country met routinely with representatives of the country's political, religious, social, cultural, and ethnic groups to discuss human rights conditions and development of relations between these groups and the government. U.S. officials also met regularly with members of the legislative and executive branches as well as with the judiciary to encourage continued broad reforms, including those needed for the country to meet EU accession criteria. The ambassador and other U.S. officials met with Cabinet ministers and Foreign Ministry officials to discuss freedom of expression and religion.

The U.S.-sponsored international visitors programs played an important role in achieving U.S. strategic objectives by providing opportunities for professionals in all fields to be introduced to the United States and their American counterparts. During the year, 25 Turks participated in projects specifically related to human rights and democracy, including programs on local government, human rights in U.S. foreign policy, NGOs and civic activism, judicial reform, and trafficking in persons. Projects for the year included the exchange of Turkish and American delegations of the American Council of Young Political Leaders. Through the U.S.-sponsored television cooperation program, journalists from one of the country's major national television station filmed documentaries for national broadcast on subjects that included transparency and governance, multiculturalism, and interaction between civil society groups and local and national government.

International visitors programs played an important role in U.S. programs to promote the political process in the country. In February six mayors from diverse communities throughout the country traveled to the United States. During the visit, the group looked at local governance in large and small communities throughout the United States. Upon their return, the group commented frequently on the accountability provisions of American governmental systems. Several of the mayors adopted similar provisions in their own municipalities after the program. A U.S.-funded project brought a delegation of Turkish high school students to the United States in January for a three-week visit that examined democratic governance and respect for human rights in the United States.

To promote media freedom, the United States supported professional exchange programs for journalists designed to foster ethics and journalistic responsibility among younger reporters and to promote freedom of expression for editors and media gatekeepers. A wide range of persons from both the secular and Islamist press attended these programs. U.S. officials in the country also hosted a speaker from National Public Radio during a visit to discuss accountability in the press.

The United States continued to promote legal reforms in the country. With U.S. Government support, the government hosted the chairman of the American Bar Association, who spoke to judges and lawyers in the country about developments in the American legal system. In addition, the prosecutor responsible for felony cases in most of western regions of the country visited the United States on an international visitors program grant. After attending criminal trials and talking to judges, prosecutors, and groups concerned with the practice of law, he returned to the country with new ideas about prisoners' rights. A judge from the Intellectual Property Rights Court also traveled to the United States on the same program and returned with positive views on the enforcement of intellectual property rights. In addition the U.S. Government sponsored a bilateral legal exchange project that promoted the discussion of issues dealing with freedom of expression, police conduct, and trial alternatives in the criminal justice system through the exchange of visits by U.S. and Turkish legal professionals. U.S. officials stationed in the country hosted Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg at a dinner for law students and professors from Istanbul’s pre-eminent law schools, during which Justice Ginsberg spoke about rule of law and the relationship of the judiciary to the executive branch.

Throughout the year the United States sponsored speakers who focused on human rights and democracy. In March the chair of Georgetown University's Government Department, spoke to over 400 persons about the problem of balancing freedom and security in democratic societies. In January a visiting professor from the University of Virginia spoke about freedom of religion in Istanbul. A professor from the University of Tennessee spoke about the role of religion in democracy in Ankara as well.

The United States also provided official speakers to address local audiences on human rights issues through a U.S.-sponsored speakers program. Official speakers engaged audiences at local universities and social clubs throughout the country on topics ranging from freedom of expression and democracy to human rights in the context of terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo, Cuba. For example, in Istanbul, U.S. speakers addressed a «democracy summer camp» organized by a local university, while in Izmir an official speaker described U.S. Government policies to one of the country’s Model UN teams. In these engagements, speakers drew upon U.S. Government publications, including Human Rights and You: A Reader and publications on the history and workings of American democracy.

The United States also stressed the need to allow free religious expression for persons of all faiths, including Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Baha'i, none of whom have legal standing in the country. The United States continued to urge high-level government officials to reach agreement with the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the re-opening of the Halki seminary on the island of Heybeli, to acknowledge the ecumenical nature of the Patriarchate, and to ensure the right of non-Turkish citizens to serve as clergy. U.S. officials engaged government officials regularly in a dialogue on religious freedom.

With the help of a U.S. grant, the International Organization for Migration continued work with government authorities to implement a comprehensive mechanism for protecting trafficking victims and enhance the country's capacity to combat trafficking; a third of the grant was used for protecting and providing direct assistance to trafficking victims. U.S. funds allowed the International Organization for Migration to continue training the Jandarma (police) and judiciary in high-trafficking areas of the country and to work on international law enforcement cooperation initiatives to facilitate prosecution of traffickers. The United States also funded a major international public awareness campaign, including television and print media advertisements for a toll-free 24-hour victim hotline that assisted the rescue of more than 50 victims during its first six months of operation.

Released on April 5, 2007

So the individuals Greeks and Greek Emigrants which visit the www.Apodimos.com can study the «Supporting Human Rights and Democracy: The U.S. Record 2006» in the internet and they will have of the http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/shrd/2006/80588.htm, so as to they have a complete picture of the opinions of the State Department.