ANKARA, Feb 5 (A.A) - Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk has said that a total of 159 cases were filed against Turkey at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) because of complaints about torture during detention.
''Torture allegations are continuing and we need to correct that,'' he said when he received the Turkish judge of the ECHR, Riza Turmen on Tuesday. After a half an hour meeting with Turmen, Turk said they discussed certain matters which concern Turkey regarding the European Convention of Human Rights. Turk briefed Turmen about the adjustment bills which are in progress and Turmen told Turk about the cases opened against Turkey.
Turk stated that Turmen focuses more about the implementation of the laws rather than the legal changes.
A total of 18 cases against Turkey are related to limitations of freedom of expression, Turk said and added that the bill about freedom of expression was on Parliament's program.
Turmen said that he benefited from Turk's views as a judge who explains the Turkish law in Strasbourg.
When a journalist said, ''the regulation, opening ways for renewal of trial, in the direction of decisions given by ECHR, is postponed due to some drawbacks,'' and asked, ''do you think the regulation for renewal of trial should be brought,'' Turmen said ways for renewal of trial should be opened, noting that this would be a very positive step. Turmen said this regulation would overcome some difficulties and provide an integrity. Turmen said an interim mechanism could be thought for renewal of trial, if there would be drawbacks in respect to some specific lawsuits.
Justice Minister Turk in his part recalled that the draft law which they prepared on the issue had some stages. Turk said this issue was excluded from the adjustment draft law, which is still in Parliamentary General Assembly, noting that some states, which adopted European Convention on Human Rights, still did not accept renewal of trial. Turk said, ''this issue will always be on our agenda. Necessary arrangements will be made in this respect.''
Turmen said problems pertaining to the implementation would be overcome if Turkey accepts renewal of trial, noting that this was not an obligation stemming from the European Convention on Human Rights.
When a journalist asked how he evaluated the draft regarded with amendment to articles 159 and 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), Turmen said it would not be right for him to comment on the draft when the government was working on the issue.
Responding another question which said, ''there are plans to make the responsible person pay for the compensation fee in cases which ECHR decides that a compensation had to be paid,'' Turmen said it might be deterrent.
Turmen said Turkey paid almost all the compensations fined by the ECHR, or preferred friendly settlement.
Turmen said Turkey has not been in the position of a country where the most cases opened in the past two years, noting that Russia, Poland, France and Ukraine were before Turkey. However, Turmen noted that Turkey was still the first country in respect to the number of total cases.
Justice Minister Turk said half of the nearly 5,000 cases opened against Turkey, had been opened by the Greek Cypriots.