Figure 1.--. |
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The issue of human rights is a difficult issue in Turkey, in part because the Turkish state was founded on creating a homgenous Turkish hearland and this involved killing the Aemenians who were both Christian d ethnically distinct. Turkey is on of the few democracies in the Middle East, but Turkish democracy has its limits. There is a multi-party parliament and a vigorous and vocal press. Mionrity groups do not enjoy strong protections and there are certain limitations to free speech. There is also not a fully independent judiciary. While Turkey is the most secular Middle Eastern cuntry other than Israel, the country's secular traditions are under attack by Islamicist groups. Turkey was established from the Ottoman Empire after Wotld I as a staunchly secular state. The Army also continues to play a major role in Turkish society. There have also been attacks on minority groups. Human rights has become a major issue in Turkey's efforts to join the European Union. THE EU has set meeting human rights conditions. Both politicians and writers have been prosecuted and imprisoned. It is illegal to honestly discuss the Armenian Genocide. There are reports of authorities mistreating detainees, including torture and some deaths. The Army has been a factor in holding up greater freedom of expression. It also is resiting demands by Islamicits to modify the secular state.
Turkey is the successor state to The Ottonan Empire which for several centuries ruled the Middle East and Balkans. It ws the only important Muslim state to replace the Caliphatte. Turkey is a very modern state, rising on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire after World War I (1914-18). The issue of human rights is a difficult issue in Turkey, in part because the Turkish state was founded on creating a homogenous Turkish heartland and this involved killing the Aemenians who were both Christian and ethnically distinct. The Armenian Genocide was carried out by the same Young Turks who founded modern Turkey. Turkey is doing its best to control the writing of its history and has proven capable of punishing ibdividuals and countries that question the official version of what was done to the Armenians.
Turkey is on of the few democracies in the Middle East, but Turkish democracy has its limits. There is a multi-party parliament and a vigorous and vocal press. Minority groups do not enjoy strong protections and there are certain limitations to free speech. There is also not a fully independent judiciary. While Turkey is the most secular Middle Eastern cuntry other than Israel, the country's secular traditions are under attack by Islamicist groups. Turkey was established from the Ottoman Empire after Wotld I as a staunchly secular state. The Army also continues to play a major role in Turkish society.
Both politicians and writers have been prosecuted and imprisoned. It is illegal to honestly discuss the Armenian Genocide. Authorities arrested Orhan Pamuk, Turkey's Nobel Prize winning author, for admitting the mass slaying of Armenians. The charges were eventually dropped. The Turkish Government has also changed the law, largely in deference to the European Union which it is seeking to join. Even so, Turks are not at liberty to openly discuss the events of 1915. Even if the government takes no legal action, such individuls would become targets of ultr-nationalists.
Turkey was created as a secular state, one of very few states in the Middle East where Islam is not the state religion. The Young Turks embraced both modernity and Islam. They were determined to prove the two were not mutually exclusive. Islacist groups are now move to change the secular nature of the Turkish state. It is not yet clear just how successful they will be.
There have also been attacks on minority groups.
There are reports of authorities mistreating detainees, including torture and some deaths. The Army has been a factor in holding up greater freedom of expression. It also is resiting demands by Islamicits to modify the secular state.
Human rights has become a major issue in Turkey's efforts to join the European Union. THE EU has set meeting human rights conditions.
The founders of the Turkish state emgd out of the military. The country for many years has been ruled by the military nd the military still plays an important role. The Army has been a factor in holding up greater freedom of expression. It also is resiting demands by Islamicits to modify the secular state. <>br>
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