Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RwISTA STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSA-BASIN ÖZETi
rights group indicate that Turkey ~rtive of Turk8's first female Prime dents to the HRW.team, but later
I - 'nister Tansu iller but should exam- -argued that "in certain cases, virginity
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~ action taken was the temporary suspen-
Turkish Dailv News
~ ~
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U.S. government "to cease traimng pro- sion of a school director. He was
0\ ANKARA- Turkish diplomats boast that grams for the Turkish police as long as returned to his ~st after three months.
~ it was through their efforts that the action evidence establishes the involvement of The tragedy ies in the fact that many
~ program of the International Conference of Turkish police in torture and cruel and officials believe that there is an argu-
~-
~ u
c: Population and Development urged govern- inhuman treatment, including virginity ment for the va~nal controls, says the
~ ~ ments to prohibit involuntary virginity con- control exams." report. Mehmet ahraman, the nunister
trois. However, the findings of a U.S.-based "The Clinton administration is sup- for human rights, first denied the incihuman
was not "urged strongly enough."
~
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has recent- ine her stated support for women' s exams might serve a protective function
-a ~ ly published a report on virginity controls in
human rights for evidence of steps to luId tlius would be legitimate."
abolish forced virginity control exams,"
~ Turkey which it calls "a matter of power."
'The government's denial of reports
it says. of nen-consentual virginity control is
-Q :a The report claims that the social and legal
inconsistent with the testimonies of the
framework in Turkey makes a woman' s Under what conditions are abused," the report sars.
~ ~ honor .- and consequently her virginity - virginity tests conducted? The HRW mission s interviews with
a social matter rather than her own personal The report cites the conditions under doctors aré more grave. Mantndoctors,
-5= ~ matter; which VIrginity tests are conducted. both state and private, do not ow that
The report focuses on the role of t~e
ri.) .f::i
Virginity tests are held if a woman files they can themselves refuse to perform
Turkish government in committing or toler- ..... a criminal complaint alleging a sexual
~
virginity examinations or that they must
â ...... ating forcible virginity control examina- 'crime. But the instruction for this obtain a woman's consent before per-
.~ tions. It attempts to document the direct should come from a court or a prosecu- formini such a test. "I practiced as a
JO: imposition of such examinations by police tor, rather than from the police. doctor or many years without knowing
.~ on woman in their custody and by govern- Secondly, women detainees are that women have a right to say no to
.~ ment employees on women in state institu- forced to undergo virginity tests, some- virginity control. Some doctors tell
tions. "At the root of the pervasive imposi- times twice. The police admit that they women that they have a right to say no,
~ tion of virginity control exams in Turkey, do this. The report has quoted Mete and some do not," an unnamed doctor
~
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whether at the hands of the state or private
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Altan, the head of the security depart- toldHRW.
individuals, is the assumption that female ment in Adana, as defending the prac- But would a woman sat no to the
~ ~ virginity is a legitimate interest of the fami- tice of testing female ßolitical examination? A l5-year-o d tri may
think refusing the test is an a mission
'0 .t: Iy, the community and ultimately, the state. detainees, saying that the po ice were
:::: As a result, forcible exams to verify female
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just "protecting themselves" against that she is not a virgin. A political
b
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virginity are not only deemed justifiable, possible future accusations of police detainee ma also consent, to be able to
.e:.,) but also are seen as legitimately overriding abuse duri~ interrogation. .use the resuht as evidence should police
...:::: the individual rights of women to bodily The HR report points out that the
Q
abuse occur. But; the important thmg is,
~ inte~rity, privacy and equality before the recentl adopted legal reform, known the choice is often not given.
0 ~ law,' the re:rt says. as CMüK, requires physical examina- The dilemma
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It conclu es thatthe state's "use offorce" tions of detainees prior to and following Talking to Turkish authorities about
~ in conducting such examinations is unjusti- interrogation so that doctors may exam- the report, one can easil6' see their
0 r...;;
lied, that the emphasis on virginity is itself ine detainees and report signs of tor- dilemma. After all, Turkis diplomats
~ ~ inherently discriminatory and that, in any ture. The police are ~uick to note that have worked fervently on puttmg in a
~ ~ case, virginity is irrelevant as evidence of women checked for t eir virginity will clause condemning "involuntary virginiÏJ
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sexual abuse. The report calls on the be protected a~ainst sexual assault in ity tests" in an action program of the
Turkish ~overnment to c:r out the neces- the same way t ey are protected against ...... International Conference on Population
sU)' lega reform which wi amend articles .otherforms of torture or cruel treatment and Development.
.C .5 of the criminal code referring to virginity. by a general physical examination. "What can I say? I am shocked and
.g ne reference there is to the classification The report says this reasonin~ is sad to see that the report blames Turkey
(JJ :::::: that refers to rape - or sexual abuse or unacceptable. Not only do the po ice for "involuntary virginity tests" where-
.;1 ~ abduction of a woman - as a felony act fromthe wrong assum~tion that "no as our team campaIgned energetically
~ against public decency and family order, abuse can be proved if t e woman is for a clause that says '~overnments are
rather than as a fel0'!l a~ainst the individ- not a vir~n," but they overstep their urged to prohibit invo untary virginity
j
~ ual,It calls on the ur ish legislator to authority y instructin~ doctors to pere:.,)
control,'" says a Turkish female diplo-
examine the content and application of form such an examination. Thirdly, vir- mat. In the report, the Turkish delega-
S criminal, prostitution and police duty p'inity tests are initiated by family or tion lobbied to include "involuntary virlaws
and institute reforms to ensure that 'guardians." This issue caught the ginity controls" along with other mhu-
~ women are protected against both arbi- attention of the public when two female man practices, such as female genital
~ trary violations of their physical integri- high school students killed themselves mutilation and the abhorrent abortion of
(JJ ~ ty and discriminatory treatment. after school authorities ordered them to female fetuses following sex-determi-
S .... .~ The report recommends that the undergo virginitr control examinations. nation tests.
Turkish government denounce the There are stil other virfinity exami-
~ Participants at the conference said
f~rced im~sition of virginity examina- nations where the role 0 the state is
the TurkIsh delegation, dominated by
ri.) ~ tIons un er ant circumstances as a greater. According to unconfirmed women, came up with the "very wise
(JJ ~ grave and into erable human rights press rep?rts, women who applied for a and progressive proposals" particularly
abuse and as a violation of domestic ~b WIth the State Cartography forwomen.
.:-1 ~
and internationallaw. The government epartment, a division of Defense But the frustration of female diplo-
.~ should direct all-state employed doctors Ministry, were required to undergo a mats reflects the dilemma facing
ri.) l:< not to perform examinations on adult vir,tinity examination. Turkish diplomatic circles: It is easier
women or minor ~irls for the purpose
(JJ ::::
Ithough Türkan Aklol, the state to bring suggestions on human rithts to
of determinin~ theIr virginity, it says. minister responsible or women' s a conference of sophisticated dir ornats
0 ~ Recalling t at Turkey is one of the affairs, denounced virginity control and abroad than to ask for respect 0 human
largest recipients of American aid, the promised punishment of officials and women's ri~hts from police offi-
~ ::Ë human rights group recommends to the responsible for such abuse, the only cials or others at orne.
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