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Committee: United Nations Human Rights Council

Country: Republic of Turkey


Delegate: Angela Portocarrero de las Heras, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
Topic A: Human rights violations in the use of new espionage technologies
The Republic of Turkey is extremely concerned about the recent abuse of modern
technology done with the purpose of disclosing private information that belongs only to the
different Nations. The right of privacy is a fundamental principle in international law, and it
is even found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 12), making it
impossible to deny sovereign states and their citizens their fundamental right to privacy.
Recent events, such as the documents spread through Wikileaks (which affected Turkey
directly), the declarations made by former NSA agent Edward Snowden, and the discovery
of illegal surveillance of EU institutions and leaders, have inevitably raised the alarm and
spread considerable concerns over national security for attacked states, while also making
other countries aware of the possibility that they are being spied on.
The use of modern espionage techniques has gravely unsettled countries and their
leaders, weakening and difficulting diplomatic relations between states.
As a country that has been object to several different espionage plans with the purpose of
discrediting its government and intelligence agency, Turkey believes it is unacceptable that
espionage is a tactic as wildly generalized as it seems, and it has taken action to prevent
said attacks in more than one occasion. In the past year, Turkey has taken action against
these acts by diplomatic means and by reinforcing alliances with neighboring countries in
order to tackle the issue, as well as strengthening its intelligence agency. This
last measure has been extremely important and has proved to be essential, as well, in
ensuring national security and strengthening the security of Government plans and
information that now seem under direct danger of falling under foreign hands due to the
latest events.
However, these measures have been extraordinary, as is the current situation, and this
extreme precaution responds to a threat that is not legitimate, nor legal, nor healthy for
international relations. Espionage violates a country's sovereignty, as well as gravely
endangering its' national security and the integrity of its' international relations. The current
events are a clear twist and corruption of the only exception to privacy, which is the
protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms and/or humanitarian assistance.
This principle is being abused in the interest of countries that are claiming their right to
information as to protect themselves, yet extend said right to an obvious illegitimate
invasion of privacy towards other states, and it is unacceptable, as well as extremely
dangerous.
It is imperative that this Council comes to a resolution as to regulate and greatly limit the

use of modern technology, and, in general, the activity of espionage, which is putting
international relations and security at risk all over the globe. Espionage ought to be
sanctioned and limited, and the resolution elaborated by this Council should be able to be
interpreted as a firm invitation to start International Law regulations on all spying activities.

Topic B: Assessing human rights violations in combating illegal immigration


The Republic of Turkey, because of its geographic location, is and has historically been a
common passage for migration to and from Europe and the Middle East (from 1995 to 200,
Turkey is believed to have received 700,000 illegal migrants). Traditionally, but especially in
the past two years, with the events related to the Arab Spring, Turkey has become a
nucleus of immigrants and refugees, lying on a major route for migration. These
revolutionary events, that expanded through Libya, Egypt, and Syria, have meant the mass
movement of huge sectors of the population, thousands of which have sought asylum in
Turkish territory.
According to the June 2013 UNHCR Mid-year Report, in the first half of 2013 Turkey
became the 6th largest refugee hosting country in the world mainly due to the mass influx
of Syrian population fleeing from the armed conflict (approximately 490,000 migrants).
Turkey's willingness to improve the condition of said refugees and, in general, the status of
immigrants in Turkish territory, is reflected in the 2013 Asylum Law, which states an initial
open-door policy with foreign residence-seekers in order to make the process of entering
the country easier, as well as treating migrants in good fashion. Although the Asylum Law
was an important measure within national territory, Turkey understands and insists that
solutions are way beyond the means of a single country, and it requires international
burden-sharing.
The Republic of Turkey is aware of the dangers of illegal immigration, and has throughout
the past year adopted different measures to prevent said dangers - it is a supporter of the
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, and of the additional
Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by land, sea and Air. It also became a member
in 2004 of the International Organization for Migration, which cooperates in combating
human trafficking (one of the main dangers of illegal migration). Turkey is also part of
numerous protocols that reinforce respecto of human rights, such as the Convention
Against Torture and other cruel, Inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, and the Declaration of Human Rights of individuals who are not nationals of
the country in which they live.
However, illegal migrants are still at great risk of suffering from abusive tactics, being
tortured and mistreated, and having their most basic human rights taken from them, which

is why it is important that rights are not only recognized for them but also guaranteed
through valid legislation. Law on foreigners and international protection should extend and
include a comprehensive framework for protection and assistance, and it ought to be
ensured that all migrants are guaranteed their rights to life, peace, security and dignity in
every aspect of their lives.
Turkey believes one of the main ways to guarantee these rights is actually combatting the
illegal side of immigration, enabling migrants to become legal through simpler, faster, more
effective bureaucracy, which would make them legal migrants by law and would force
legislation to regard them the same way as regular citizens in many aspect. If not
legalization, creating and providing migrants with something similar to the temporary
asylum seeker status, which was broadly used when tackling Arab spring refugees turning
to Turkey, would also greatly aid and protect refugees under national legislation as to
combat rights violations and
more effective bureaucracy, which would make them legal migrants by law and would force
legislation to regard them the same way as regular citizens when it comes to accessing
jobs, housing

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