ANKARA, Feb 4 (A.A) - State Minister Nejat Arseven said on Monday that there were still certain problems of Turkey regarding human rights.
Arseven received Riza Turmen, the Turkish judge at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).
Following the meeting, Arseven and Turmen responded to questions of reporters.
Arseven said that Turmen paid a courtesy visit and they evaluated the human rights in Turkey during their meeting.
Turmen said that it would be beneficial for Turkey to accept to hear the cases again in the direction of the ECHR verdicts.
''An opposite behaviour will not be perceived as Turkey does not fulfil its responsibilities stemming from the European Convention on Human Rights,'' Turmen noted.
When a reporter asked Turmen how he evaluates the amendments to articles 312 and 159 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Arseven said that it was an issue concerning themselves and made a brief statement about the issues they debated at the meeting.
Arseven noted that Turmen stated that administrative changes made in human rights in recent days particularly the constitutional amendments were of utmost importance.
Turkey had marked progress in human rights in the process which started with the constitutional amendments, Arseven said.
Arseven stated that Turmen also underlined the importance that those initiatives and amendments carried in a period following the September 11th terrorist attacks when terrorism and human rights had been re-opened to discussion.
Many structural reforms had been made on human rights, Arseven pointed out. But, he said, Turkey had certain problems in practice.
Arseven noted that they had a meeting with Justice and Interior ministers once a month to overcome those problems and said that the Human Rights Supreme Board would hold a meeting on Tuesday.
State Minister Arseven added that the draft law related with the articles 312 and 159 of TCK would become definite in the following days.
Upon a question, Turmen said that there were some Council of Europe (COE) member countries that accepted and rejected re-trial regarding ECHR's decisions against their countries.
When asked if they should derive the meaning from his words that whether or not it happened, Turmen said, ''I have not made such a comment. It will be better if it is done but if it is not done, it will not be perceived as Turkey does not fulfilled its obligations stemming from the European Convention on Human Rights. There is not such an obligation in that convention.''
Arseven said that Turkey did not give up that arrangement and said, ''this is excluded from the adjustment draft law. However, this exclusion should not be evaluated as if this issue will no more be brought to Turkey's agenda.''
Turmen said that Turkey withdrew its declaration which suspended the fifth article of the European Convention on Human Rights in the Emergency Rule (OHAL) Region and noted, ''this is of course a very important step. I would like to stress that this step had very positive impact abroad.''
Asked if there could be a friendly solution method to reduce many cases against Turkey at ECHR, Arseven said that they were always working on this issue and noted that Turkey was at a very good point in searches for a friendly solution with ECHR.
Arseven added that ECHR chief judge's statements that there was a decrease in applications regarding Turkey was the confirmation of Turkey's initiatives in human rights.