The Human Rights Action Plan prepared by the Justice Ministry with a vision of “free individuals, communities stronger, more democratic Turkey” will be announced tomorrow by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 2, the state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.
The plan will handle legislative and administrative activities based on legal predictability, transparency and accountability. With a strong emphasis on the right to property, vested rights, the personality of crime and punishment and the presumption of innocence, the plan aims for various changes in these areas.
Besides, the plan envisions important activities that will strengthen the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, the assurance of judges and access to justice.
It is stated that the ultimate goal of the plan is “to make a new and civil constitution,” Anadolu Agency reported, noting that March 2 would be a turning point for works to be carried out on a new constitution.
The Action Plan, which foresees high-level awareness and the establishment of a strong protection system for solving the problems in practice, aims to make changes to improve the field of rights and freedoms, to protect peoples’ property rights and freedom of contract.
Strengthening the independence of the judiciary and the right to a fair trial is also prioritized in the study, where legal predictability and transparency and the protection of freedom of expression, organization and religion are widely included.
The Human Rights Action Plan, which includes important steps regarding the protection of vulnerable groups and strengthening social welfare, also aims the material and moral integrity of a person, ensuring their private life, more effective protection of property rights, strengthening the independence of the judiciary, creating high-level administrative and social awareness about human rights.
All segments of the society were included in the studies during the 1.5-year preparation process of the Human Rights Action Plan carried out by the Justice Ministry.
A total of five workshops and 53 meetings were held with the participation of 1,571 people, including representatives of non-Muslim communities. The plan was prepared by taking the opinions of all segments from national and international non-governmental organizations to trade unions, bar associations to deans of law faculties, judges, prosecutors and lawyers to academics.
In this process, lawyers, academics and bureaucrats who took part in the Action Plan worked approximately for two thousand and 380 hours.
Hurriyet Daily News