Comprehensive work on Turkey's anticipated "Human Rights Action Plan" is reportedly ongoing as the Justice Ministry accelerates its efforts on the issue.
According to Türkiye daily, in order to make the Human Rights Action Plan, which was most recently ordered by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan following a Cabinet meeting Tuesday to be ready as soon as possible, the Justice Ministry regularly conducts meetings with the participation of academicians and representatives from human rights groups.
The plan is expected to focus on the topics of freedom, the right to security, the right to a fair trial, freedom of speech as well as the rights of women and the disabled. The enhancement of these rights and liberties has seen setbacks in the bureaucracy that have prevented these rights and liberties from being implemented properly.
The ministry is also expected to determine a policy on the rights of children and youth for the first time in the country's legal history.
The plan has been prepared in accordance with the observations and reports of the international mechanisms that monitor human rights, while cooperation with several human rights groups is also expected to be on the way.
As soon as the draft of the plan takes its final shape, it will be presented to Erdoğan by the ministry.
The president is expected to announce the plan on Dec. 10.
During his speech at the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSIAD) Expo trade fair on Friday, Erdoğan mentioned the plan, saying that the preparations are ongoing and will be presented to Parliament soon.
After the announcement, further work on law regulations is being processed to make the laws in accordance with the plan. The regulations will be determined by the parliamentary group of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and will be presented to Parliament. According to this schedule, the plan is expected to be implemented next year.
The action plan was first mentioned last year, after the announcement of a new judicial reform.
On May 30, 2019, Erdoğan announced a new judicial reform to strengthen the independent, objective, accountable and transparent features of the judiciary. The judicial reform strategy consists of two basic perspectives, nine targets, 63 objectives and 256 activities.
