(As reported in the BBC’s ‘Timeline – Turkey, A chronology of key events’ unless otherwise sourced) [66a]
2000 January: The Government agreed to respect an injunction from the European Court of Human Rights calling for the suspension of Öcalan’s execution, pending his appeal to the Court. [1d] (p1168)
May: Ahmet Necdet Sezer takes over from Suleyman Demirel as president.
December: During Government action to break up prisoner hunger strikes and violent protests against small-cell F type prisons, 31 prisoners and two security officials were killed. [1d] (p1169) 2001 January: Diplomatic row with France after French National Assembly recognises the killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as genocide.
May: European Court of Human Rights finds Turkey guilty of violating the rights of Greek Cypriots during its occupation of northern Cyprus.
June: Constitutional Court bans opposition pro-Islamic Virtue Party, saying it had become focus of anti-secular activities. New pro-Islamist party Saadet is set up by former Virtue Party members in July.
October: The Turkish Parliament approved several amendments to the Constitution, notably to articles concerning the use of the Kurdish language. The amendments were intended to facilitate Turkey’s accession to the EU. [44a]
November: British construction firm Balfour Beatty and Impregilo of Italy pull out of the controversial Ilisu dam project. Swiss bank UBS follows suit in February 2002.
2002 January: Turkish men are no longer regarded in law as head of the family. The move gives women full legal equality with men, 66 years after women’s rights were put on the statute books.
February:Law No. 4744 adjusting some Turkish laws to the October 2001 constitutional amendments, was adopted by the Turkish Parliament. [71a] (p25)
