25/02/2009
John Hobson was part of a delegation sent by The Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, along with colleagues from Finland and Norway, to investigate whether Turkey is implementing its commitments on prison reform and conditions of detention.
The launch of their report took place in the House of Lords on Tuesday 24th February 2009. John was one of four speakers and focused particularly on the question of isolation in Turkey’s controversial F-type prisons.
The lawyers delegation reports on Turkey's continuing failure to comply with international human rights law, in particular its failure to respect minority rights for the Kurds, and reports of isolation, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment in Turkey's prisons, with women being subject to particularly harsh treatment.
Authors of the report are Professor Bill Bowring, John Hobson , Ville Punto and Hannah Rought-Brooks.
Copies of the report entitled “Conditions of Detention in Turkey: Blocking Admission to the EU” can be obtained by contacting the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
www.haldane.org
or via John Hobson at Garden Court North Chambers.