Parliamentary questions
WRITTEN QUESTION P-1540/00
by Olivier Dupuis (TDI) to the Commission
(5 May 2000)

Subject: Science and Research Foundation

On 12 November 1999 the Istanbul police arrested 85 members of the Science and Research Foundation. Of these, 35 have been charged by the State Security Court with endangering state security. 28 of them were released after a week in prison in which they were subjected to various forms of torture and forced to sign a confession. Seven persons are still being held: Mr Adnan Oktar, Honorary President of the Foundation, Mr Firat Develioglu, Mr Hasan Basri Guner, Mr Ferhat Terkoglu, Mr Halil Muftuoglu, Mr Timur Ayan and Mr Finre Nil. When they first appeared before the State Security Court on 7 April the President of the Court rejected the State Prosecutor's plea for them to be released and deferred a decision on this matter until a hearing due to take place on 2 June.

Is the Commission aware of these developments? If so, what initiatives has it taken - or does it intend to take - to ensure that the persons who have been charged enjoy all the guarantees of a fair trial and are held in acceptable conditions of detention pending trial? Does it intend to be represented at the trial on 2 June?

P-1540/00
Answer given by Mr Verheugen
on behalf of the Commission
(30 May 2000)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission's Answer to Written Question No E-1020/00 by Mr Manisco(1).

The Commission would add that it intends to follow the trial but does not intend to attend the hearing on 2 June 2000.