STRASBOURG - Number of Turkish people's applications to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has dropped, Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc said on Wednesday.
Arinc, who is currently in Strasbourg to attend conference of parliament speakers of member countries to the Council of Europe, held separate talks with ECHR Vice President Jean Paul Costa and Turkish jurists at the ECHR on Wednesday.
Holding a news conference following the meetings, Arinc said, ''number of Turkish people's applications to the ECHR about right to live, torture and maltreatment have dropped. It is a pleasing development. Reforms made in democratization in Turkey have a significant role in this development. Turkish people do not apply to the ECHR about freedom of expression and closure of political parties any longer. Our government has been making legal changes for a more free life in Turkey.''
Upon a question about decision of the State Security Court (DGM) in the re-trial process of former deputies of the Democracy Party (DEP) which was banned by the Constitutional Court, Arinc said that the ECHR had made some legal objections to the DEP case.
''Following decision of the ECHR, former deputies of the DEP were re-tried, and the court ratified its first decision in accordance with Article 341/1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMUK) arranging the decision to be made in retrial process,'' he said.
Recalling that the jurisdiction was independent in modern and democratic societies, Arinc said that judicial independence was valid in Turkey, and no one could affect decisions of courts.
Arinc also gave information about his meetings at the Council of Europe.
He recalled that he had held very positive and constructive bilateral meetings with parliament speakers of Greece, Georgia, Armenia and Russia.
Arinc is expected to return to Turkey on Thursday.
(UK-AÖ) 20.05.2004