HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
Ebru KARAMAN
PREFACE
This study is prepared to introduce the Turkish Human Rights Law. Human Rights Law course is given in English in some faculties of law, economics and administrative sciences. A university student in Turkey should learn his/her own rights and freedoms by comparing the articles of the Constitution of 1982 and the European Convention on Human Rights. Therefore, some details have been added in footnotes and selected bibliography of book and texts of international human rights are annexed to the book. The main purpose of this book is, completing the lack of sources about the general principles of Turkish Human Rights Law in English. On the other hand, I hope that the book will be useful for foreigner lawyers who are interested in Turkish Human Rights Law.
The book contains general principles and subjects of human rights and freedoms. Moreover, the most important development experienced with regards to human rights in the 20th Century, is the individual slowly becoming the subject of international law. After Second World War, idea of protecting human rights on international level has strengthened and constituted the beginning of the development of today. Thus, this book is emphasized the kinds of protection of human rights and freedoms in national and international law. Lastly, I am grateful to my sister Gokce Karaman, a law student who provided suggestions for the English version of manuscript and also I want to thank Erol Oz and On Iki Levha Publication for publishing this book.
July 2, 2014 Istanbul
CONTENTS
PREFACE......................................................................................... VII
CONTENTS.................................................................................... IX LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS............................................................ XV
SECTION I
General Principles Of Human Rights
A. Concept and Definition of Law......................................................... 1
1. Positive Law and Natural Law.................................................... 1
2. Written Law and Unwritten Law................................................. 2
B. Other Social Rules........................................................................... 3
1. Moral Rules............................................................................... 4
2. Religious Rules........................................................................... 4
3. Customary Rules ....................................................................... 5
C. Legal Rules..................................................................................... 6
1. Functions of Legal Rules............................................................. 6
a. Social Order......................................................................... 7
b. Legal Security....................................................................... 7
c. Social Peace......................................................................... 7
d. Equality................................................................................ 8
e. Justice.................................................................................. 9
2. Characteristics of Legal Rules................................................... 10
a. Normativity........................................................................ 10
b. Sanctions............................................................................ 10
(1) Concept of Sanction...................................................... 10
(2) Historical Evolution of Sanctions.................................... 10
(3) Types of Sanction ........................................................ 11
(a) Public Law Sanctions............................................... 11
(b) Private Law Sanctions ............................................ 14
c. Sovereignty........................................................................ 17
d. Human Behaviors............................................................... 18
D. Placeof Human Rights Rules.......................................................... 18
1. Human Rights Law in Public Law............................................. 18
a. Constitutional Law.............................................................. 21
b. Administrative Law............................................................ 25
c. Criminal Law..................................................................... 25
d. Public International Law...................................................... 27
e. Procedural Law.................................................................. 27
2. Sources of Human Rights Law................................................. 30
a. MainSources..................................................................... 30
(1) Constitution.................................................................. 30
(2) International Conventions............................................... 31
(3) Customary Law............................................................ 32
(4) General Principles of Law............................................. 33
b. Complementary Sources..................................................... 34
(1) Declaration of Human Rights......................................... 35
(2) Jurisprudence................................................................ 35
(3) Doctrine....................................................................... 36
E. Concepts and Definition of Human Rights....................................... 36
1. Human Rights.......................................................................... 37
2. Human Dignity........................................................................ 38
3. Fundamental Rights - Public Rights............................................ 39
4. Civil Rights.............................................................................. 40
5. Liberties.................................................................................. 40
6. Public Liberties......................................................................... 41
7. Duties...................................................................................... 42
8. Democracy.............................................................................. 43
F. Historical Development of Human Rights......................................... 45
1. Historical Development of Human Rights in International Law46
2. Historical Development of Human Rights in National Law........... 51
G. Characteristics of Human Rights Rules............................................ 53
1. Universalism............................................................................ 54
2. Acquired with Birth.................................................................. 56
3. Individualism ........................................................................... 56
4. Inviolability............................................................................... 57
5. Inalienability and Indispensability................................................ 58
6. Superiority and Binding Force.................................................... 59
7. Legality................................................................................... 63
H. Classification of Human Rights....................................................... 64
1. Negative-Positive and Active Status Rights................................ 65
2. First-Second and Third Generation Rights................................... 65
3. Individual and Collective Rights................................................. 66
4. Civil-Political-Economic-Social and Cultural Rights..................... 68
5. Public Law and Private Law Rights........................................... 73
SECTION II
Subjects of Human Rights And Freedoms
A. Major Subjects of Human Rights and Freedoms............................... 75
1. Individual Rights...................................................................... 75
a. Right to Life....................................................................... 75
b. Prohibition of Torture.......................................................... 78
c. Prohibition of Slavery and Forced Labour............................ 83
d. Right to Liberty and Security............................................... 85
e. Right to Fair Trial................................................................ 89
f. Right to Respect for Private and Family Life........................ 93
g. Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion..................... 96
h. Freedom of Expression ...................................................... 99
i. Freedom of Assembly and Association............................... 103
j. Freedom of Residence and Movement............................... 107
k. Right to an Effective Remedy............................................ 109
1. Prohibition of Discrimination............................................. 109 2. Economic Rights.................................................................... 112
a. Protection of Property....................................................... 112
b. Freedom of Work, Contract and Private Enterprise............. 113 3. Social Rights........................................................................... 114
a. Right and Duty to Work..................................................... 114
b. Right to Social Security..................................................... 115
c. Rights of Collective Labor Agreement and Collective
Agreement........................................................................ 116
d. Right to Health and Patient Rights...................................... 117
e. Environmental Rights......................................................... 119 4. Political Rights....................................................................... 121
a. Citizenship Right............................................................... 121
b. Right to Elect, Be Elected and Right to Engage in
Political Activity............................................................... 122
c. Right of Petition and Right to Information........................... 124 5. Cultural Rights....................................................................... 125
a. Right to Education............................................................ 125
b. Freedom of Mass Communication..................................... 127
c. Freedom of Science and the Arts...................................... 128 6. New Rights............................................................................ 129
a. Right to Development....................................................... 129
b. Right to Peace.................................................................. 130
c. Children's Rights............................................................... 131
d. Women's Rights................................................................ 133
e. Refugee Rights................................................................. 134
f. Minority Rights ................................................................ 135
B. Restrictions of Human Rights and Freedoms................................. 136
1. Restrictions in Ordinary Period................................................ 136
2. Restrictions in Martial Law and State of Emergency................. 138
SECTION III
Protection of Human Rights A. Protection of Human Rights on National Law................................. 145
1. Foundations............................................................................ 145
a. Institutions Displaying Activity Under the Legislative
Organ.............................................................................. 146
(1) The Human Rights Inquiry Committee of the
Turkish Grand National Assembly................................ 146
(2) The Ombudsman Institution......................................... 148
b. Institutions Displaying Activity Under the Executive
Organ.............................................................................. 152
(1) The High Council of Human Rights.............................. 152
(2) The Advisory Council of Human Rights........................ 153
(3) Committees for Investigation of Human Rights
Violation Claims.......................................................... 155
(4) The Human Rights Training Ten Year National
Committee.................................................................. 156
(5) Provincial and District Human Rights Boards ............... 157
(6) The Human Rights Institution of Turkey....................... 159
2. Individual Application to Turkish Constitutional Court................. 161
a. Protection of Fundamental Rights in Constitutional
Jurisdiction........................................................................ 161
b. Working Method of the Constitutional Court....................... 164
c. Decisions Which May be Given by the Constitutional
Court................................................................................ 170
B. Protection of Human Rights on International Law......................... 172
1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights............................ 172
2. The European Convention on Human Rights............................. 174
a. Place of the Convention in Municipal Law.......................... 175
b. Characteristics of the Convention....................................... 176
c. Organs of the Convention.................................................. 177
d. Individual Application to the European Court on
Human Rights.................................................................. 180
BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................ 183
ANNEXE I: Constitution of the Republic of Turkey............................. 189
ANNEXE II: The European Convention on Human Rights................... 293
ANNEXE III: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights.................. 339