European Union Delegation Cites Rise of Human Rights Abuses in Turkey

(22.09.2006; Associated Press)

While on a fact-finding tour of Turkey, a human rights committee from the European Parliament says it heard reports of a resurgence of torture, abductions and beatings by security forces.

The delegation focused on the Kurdish issue and traveled to the southeast of Turkey but they also met with human rights groups in Istanbul and Ankara.

What concerned the group most were the discrepancies between cases of human rights violations recorded by Turkish authorities and those reported by human rights organizations.

Delegation member Vittorio Agnoletto, an Italian lawmaker said, " The impression is that the situation is going backwards."

A full report on the delegations findings is due to be presented to the European Parliament in a month, although they will be discussed in a debate within the next two weeks.

******Jailed British Artist Freed By Turkish Police******

In a related story, Turkish police today released Michael Dickinson, a British artist who had been arrested on September 12th for unfurling a poster of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan's head superimposed on the body of a dog wearing a stars & stripes leash representing the United States. Mr. Dickinson has lived in Turkey for the past twenty years.

Sorry - But we are unable to post a copy of the poster. We contacted Turkish officials but were told that in the melee that ensued when Mr. Dickinson was being taken away,one of the Turkish police dogs, upon seeing this "weird dog/man photo", savagely attacked the poster and proceeded to tear it to shreds....