TÜRKÇE
  Updated: 11/12/2017

Message of the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Omer Celik on the Occasion of Human Rights Day of 10 December

We are celebrating today the Human Rights Day of 10 December, on which the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 68 years ago.

As a founding member of Council of Europe and an important part of European family, Türkiye, a country within the accession process to the EU, resolutely continues the political reforms with a view to enhance fundamental rights and freedoms based on democracy and the rule of law despite all unfortunate conditions such as terrorist attacks, coup attempt and the state of war in the region.

Both the government and Turkish people have once again demonstrated our commitment to democracy in the face of 15 July coup attempt. This has entrusted us with new responsibilities to make further progress in the field of democracy and human rights and to produce more values for our nation.

We achieved many reforms for the protection and promotion of human rights in 2016, as we did in the last 15 years. We have restructured national human rights institution and broadened its powers to include anti-discrimination and renamed it as Turkish Human Rights and Equality Institution. Moreover, we have established the Law Enforcement Monitoring Commission, adopted the Law on Protection of Personal Data and ratified several international conventions in order to contribute to better protection of human rights.

Despite the progress we have achieved in our country, the atrocities taking place in neighbouring Syria, the massacre that the brotherly Syrian people are subject to, inhuman treatment of refugees, who flee from death, not only in Syria but also in Europe point out that Human Rights Day should be observed with not only with  messages but also actions.   

On this occasion, I would like to sincerely celebrate the Human Rights Day of our citizens while noting that we will strongly uphold and take forward the political achievements that guarantee and improve fundamental rights and freedoms of our citizens.



Updated: 11/12/2017 / Hit: 9,216