Turkey’s bid to join EU in crisis after reforms axed

TURKEY’S bid to join the EU was in crisis last night as the European Commission warned that proposed penal reforms must be adopted by the government.

The reforms, which include a clampdown on police torture, abolishing reduced sentences for honour killings and giving equal rights to women, were withdrawn from parliament last week after almost all had been voted through.

Turkish commentators say this was because of pressure from Islamist conservatives in the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) who insisted a law criminalising adultery be reinstated into the bill of reforms.