Turkey cites Germany as model for tougher measures against protests

ANKARA

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç speaks during a press conference after a Cabinet meeting on Oct. 13. AA Photo

The Turkish government has announced that it will look to Germany’s criminal code as a template for plans to further empower security forces, following recent demonstrations against Ankara’s policies in Syria that left more than 35 people dead.

Emerging from a Cabinet meeting late on Oct. 13, Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç said they had reviewed planned legislation for tougher measures aimed at curbing street violence and vandalism.

Arınç also stressed that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) government, in power since 2002, has always paid attention to harmony with the European Union acquis while bringing in new legislation.

“We attach importance to the European Union acquis in regards to harmony with our laws. We take the European Union acquis as basis in a lot of the legislation that we are adopting,” he said, adding that the Cabinet has decided to examine EU member countries’ implementation for the planned “comprehensive homeland security reform.”

“It has been decided to adopt their practices into Turkey’s conditions by perhaps taking their authorities as a basis, perhaps giving priority to Germany,” he said.

Arınç sought to emphasize that Ankara’s plans were in line with EU reforms that a full membership candidate such as Turkey should implement.

“Given that we have carried out a lot of legal arrangements within the framework of harmonization with the EU acquis, why shouldn’t we adopt a new homeland security law or reform for empowering our law enforcement officers? ... [There is] no doubt that freedoms, democracy and law will be the basis in all these endeavors,” the AKP deputy head said.

The government amended the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) in 2005 in line with the EU’s accession demands, and Arınç suggested that Turkey could also amend certain provisions of its anti-terror law.

However, this has yet to happen due to lack of progress in the peace process aimed at ending three-decade long conflict between the Turkish security forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), he added.