ANKARA - The law No:4778 which made certain amendments in various laws within the framework of adjustment to Copenhagen political criteria and Constitution, which is known as the European Union (EU) adjustment law, went into force on Saturday.
Under the law, punishments, given on charges of torture and abuse could not be turned into fine, and could not be postponed, and interrogation period of the suspects, in places where Emergency Rule is implemented, reduced to four days.
The law re-arranged Article 11 of the Political Parties Act and changed second paragraph of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) which said, ''not being sentenced on charges of openly inciting people by making discrimination of class, race, religion, sect and regional difference'' and changed it as ''not being sentenced on charges of terrorist activities.''
Those who had been sentenced to five years or more than five years in prison on charges of bribery, corruption, swindling, falsification, embezzlement, theft, false bankruptcy, misuse of belief, smuggling, those who had been sentenced to imprisonment terms on charges of terrorist activities, could not be members of political parties.
In party closure cases, the five third majority will be necessary to take a decision for closure of parties.
Against the request of the Supreme Court of Appeals Chief Prosecutor for party closure, the related party will be able to apply to Constitutional Court to raise an objection.
With another article which harmonizes Political Parties Act with the Constitution, the provision which says that ''closure case could be opened against a party in case the party contradicts with the laws, and fails to overcome the contradiction despite the warnings'' was made softer.
According to the new arrangement the Public Chief Prosecutor could open a case against the Constitutional Court to deprive that political party partially or fully from the state aid in case the party fails to overcome the contradiction within six months following written warning of the Constitutional Court.
A paragraph was added to Article 7 of the Election Law. It was written: ''in case there is not a Parliamentary member in a province apart from the situations written above, 90 days after the evacuation, an interim election takes place in the first Sunday.'' The 90 days period will be implemented in case the elections are annuled.
Also Article 15 of the Press Law was amended, and it was decided that the editor in chiefs and those who wrote the news report could not be forced to disclose their source of news.
With law making amendment to Record of Convictions Law, the concept of crime, which could not be registered from record of convictions, was removed. Record of Convictions of those who did not complete the age 18 at the time when the crime was committed, can from now on be cleaned out.
With the law, foreigners were given the right to give petition to Parliament. The foreigners living in Turkey, may benefit from this right on condition that the petitions are written in Turkish, and by taking into consideration the principle of reciprocity.
According to the law, religious and minority foundations will be able to buy and sell real properties in order to meet their religious, social, educational, health and cultural needs.
Under the changes made to the Associations Law, both the real persons and the legal entities can be members of associations. The Associations will be able to announce statements without getting permission. If statements and publications issued by associations are against the basic characters of the Republic, provoke people to uprising, humiliate the personality and studies of Ataturk (the founder of the Turkish Republic), disclose state's secret documents, disturb the rights and private rights of persons, they can be seized.
Foreign associations can carry out activites, open branches in Turkey according to the principle of reciprocity and by getting permission from the Interior Ministy and by getting a positive view from the Foreign Ministry.
The law is composed of 38 articles.