Country of origin information report Turkey March 2007

September: The PKK/KADEK announced an end to their four year cease-fire with the Turkish Government. [1d] (p1171)

November: On the 15 November 2003 two suicide bomb attacks were carried out against two synagogues in Istanbul killing at least 24 people and wounding more than 300. [66m] On the 20 November two further suicide bombings were carried out one against the British Consulate and the other against the headquarters of the British based HSBC bank in Istanbul. [66n]
2004 January: Turkey signs protocol banning death penalty in all circumstances, a move welcomed in EU circles.

March: Local elections were held and were won overwhelmingly by the ruling AKP. [36i]

May: Passage of constitutional reform package. [1e] (Turkey: The Constitution)

June: PKK ends its five-year unilateral ceasefire begun in 1999. [66g]

Four Kurdish deputies (Leyla Zana, Hatip Dicle, Selim Sadak and Orhan Dogan) released from prison. [44b] First official broadcasts in Kurdish language take place. [4h] (p106)

September: Parliament approves penal reforms introducing tougher measures to prevent torture and violence against women. Controversial proposal on criminalising adultery dropped.

October: European Commission report gives the go ahead for talks to begin on Turkey’s accession to the European Union. [66ak]

December: EU leaders agree to open talks in 2005 on Turkey's EU accession. The decision, made at a summit in Brussels, follows a deal over an EU demand that Turkey recognise Cyprus as an EU member.
2005 January: New lira currency introduced as six zeroes are stripped from old lira, ending an era in which banknotes were denominated in millions.

April: The introduction of the new Turkish Penal Code (due to come into force on that date) is postponed. [66ba]

May: Parliament approves amendments to new penal code after complaints that the previous version restricted media freedom. The EU welcomes the move but says the code still fails to meet all its concerns on human rights.

1 June: A revised version of the new Turkish Penal Code comes into force. [23aa]