Parliament to form 'human rights and equality institution'

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

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The Turkish Parliament has approved several items of a draft to establish a “Human Rights and Equality Institution,” planned to be responsible for the protection of human rights and work as a court.

The draft, which was submitted on March 29, suggested the institution would take “human honor as its basis and work for the protection and development of human rights, to guarantee a persons’ right to equal treatment, and to prevent discrimination.” It also said it would “fight effectively against torture and unjust treatment and work as a national prevention mechanism in this regard.”

The draft includes banning discrimination based on gender, race, color, language, religion, belief, philosophy, political opinion, ethnic background, wealth, birth and marital status, health, disability and age.” In the event of a breach of this ban, the draft proposes that institutions with the duty and authority regarding the issues would be obliged to take necessary measures to end the breach, prevent its repetition, and follow it through legal and executive means.

The draft also suggested that “segregating, giving orders to segregate, and applying these orders” would be considered under the umbrella of discrimination.

The first five articles of the draft were passed on March 31.