| Type of parliamentary body |
Specialized |
| Nature |
Permanent |
| Related to chambers |
Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (T.B.M.M)
|
| Date of creation |
5 December 1990 |
| Last renewal date |
|
| Mandate |
The Committee's mandate is to examine individual complaints; follow national and international developments on human rights field; compare compliance of national legislation with the international human rights conventions to which Turkey is party and propose amendments to such legislation; give advisory opinions on requests concerning matters on the agenda of other parliamentary Committees; examine the compatibility of human rights practices in Turkey with international conventions and national legislation and propose solutions; examine the observance of human rights in other countries and inform parliamentary bodies about violations; and monitor human rights practices in Turkey, prepare reports and submit them to the Parliament and to the relevant ministries. |
| Membership |
The Committee consists of 24 MPs, in proportion to the strength of the parties in the Parliament. Currently 16 members including the Chairperson are from the Justice and Development Party (AK Parti - the Government party) and 8 from the Republican Peoples Party (the opposition party). Party groups invite their deputies to indicate three preferences for the membership of committees. Both the preferences of individual deputies and their background qualifications are taken into consideration. Finally, the members for each committee are nominated by their party groups and the names are approved by the Parliament. The members are elected for two legislative terms which generally corresponds to two years, starting on 1 October and ending on 1 July. A new election for membership and chairmanship is made for the second term for three legislative terms (usually three years). |
| Working methods |
The Chairperson may decide to call a meeting at any time. However, the Chairperson must call a meeting if one-third of the Committee members call for one. The agenda is usually decided by the Chairperson taking account of the requests of the members and current human rights issues. When selecting the topics for the agenda, proposals from individuals and NGOs, and violations reported in the media are taken into consideration. The Committee may also discuss other issues that are considered to be so serious as to merit separate discussion. In general, the proceedings are in private. The Committee has the power to organise unannounced on-site inquiries and to summon Government officials. Although a majority vote (but at least 7) is enough, decisions are normally taken unanimously. When the Committee adopts a report with recommendations, it is submitted to the Speaker of the Parliament and to the relevant ministries for the necessary measures to be taken. All reports can be found on the Committee's web site: (www.tbmm.gov.tr/insanhak(insanhaklari.htm). The Committee issues separate reports about its investigations and also publishes an annual report at the end of the legislative year. |
| Relations with other parliamentary bodies |
- |
| Relations with external bodies |
The Committee is in very close contact with the government and with NGOs, sometimes mediating between them. In all its work, the Committee invites Government officials and NGO representatives to discuss the issue and to exchange information. NGOs often ask the Committee to solve certain issues and problems. There is no Ombudsman in Turkey but the issue of such a position is under discussion. The secretary organises the exchange of information with foreign committees. The Committee makes visits to other countries to contact parliamentary human rights bodies and also receives foreign visitors including parliamentarians, government officials, NGO representatives and members of intergovernmental organisations. It reviews the human rights reports of UN bodies, Council of Europe bodies and international NGOs about Turkey. |
| Subjects dealt with |
Freedom of expression; prison and detention conditions; torture, inhuman and degrading treatment; migration, smuggling and internally displaced persons; rights of children and elderly people; right to education; right to health; and non-Muslim minorities.
The committee deals with every kind of human rights violations. Most of the complaints the committee receives are from prisons. Therefore, the committee makes the most inquiry on prisons. Also, the committee has dealt with the claims on discrimination inside and outside the country; ill-treatment and torture of the public servant such as policemen, prison guards etc.; illegal immigrants; violation of right of live etc. The committee now inquires the claims on violation of freedom of communication and the matter of illegal immigration. |
| CONTACT INFORMATION |
| Main address |
Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi
Insan Haklarini Inceleme Komisyonu
Bakanliklar
06543 ANKARA |
| Phone |
+90 312 420 53 99, -+90 312 420 54 06 |
| Fax |
+90 312 420 53 94
|
| E-mail |
insanhaklari@tbmm.gov.tr |
| Website |
http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/komisyon/insanhaklari/index.htm
|
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|
|
PRESIDING OFFICER(S)
|
| Name |
Mr. Zafer Uskul |
| Notes |
|
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SECRETARY
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