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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ISTANBUL 000563 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL OSCE AA TU
SUBJECT: DUCHESS OF YORK'S SECRET ORHANAGE VISIT PROMPTS 
OUTCRY AND CALLS FOR IMPROVEMENT 
 
¶1. Summary and comment:  The November 6 airing of a British 
documentary made by the UK's Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson 
evoked strong reactions in Turkey due to the undercover 
manner in which the Duchess obtained the film's footage. 
Donning a wig and headscarf to disguise herself, Ferguson 
entered a two care centers for children with physical and 
mental disabilities and filmed footage of the disturbing 
treatment and condition of some of the children that was 
aired in the UK on November 6.  Turkish officials condemned 
the secret filming as an attempt to sabotage Turkey's bid to 
enter the European Union.  British officials do not expect 
the incident to change the UK's stance on Turkey's EU 
accession, and human rights organizations view the incident 
as an opportunity for Turkey to reinvigorate its stalled 
human rights reforms. The GOT's outcry epitomizes the 
reflexive defensiveness that distracts Turkey from enacting 
reforms on sensitive issues and that Turkey must overcome if 
it is to meet EU standards. End summary and comment. 
 
¶2.  In March 2008, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and 
Independent Television News correspondent Chris Rogers posed 
as aid workers and potential charitable donors to gain access 
to two rehabilitation centers for mentally and physically 
handicapped children in Turkey.  With Ferguson in disguise, 
the pair secretly filmed their visits to Saray Rehabilitation 
Center in Ankara and Istanbul's Zeytinburnu Center for the 
Care of Disabled Children as part of a documentary aired on 
November 6  titled, "Duchess and Daughters: Their Secret 
Mission." The documentary covers the travels of Rogers, 
Ferguson and her two daughters to state-run institutions in 
Romania and Turkey.  On November 2, Rogers released a written 
description and photos of what he termed "profoundly 
shocking" conditions in the Sunday Daily Mail prior to the 
documentary's release. 
 
¶3.  Turkish authorities condemned the secret filming and 
Minister of Health and Social Services Nimet Cubukcu, in 
charge of the Social Services and Child Protection Agency 
(SHCEK), launched an investigation into the "negligent" SHCEK 
employees who provided access to visitors with hidden 
cameras.  Taking footage with concealed cameras in state 
institutions is against Turkish law. Cubukcu and other 
politicians accused Ferguson of attempting to sabotage 
Turkey's bid to enter the European Union by sullying its 
image. While most conservative newspapers also shared the 
criticism of Turkish authorities against Ferguson, Radikal, 
Hurriyet, and Aksam published columns suggesting that Turkey 
should investigate the shortcomings of its orphanages and 
other state-sponsored facilities instead of trying to deflect 
blame. Reacting to the outcry by Turkish authorities, 
Ferguson defended her position but apologized for any 
embarrassment caused to Turkey.  In a BBC interview, she said 
she supports Prime Minister Brown's decision to support EU 
accession for Turkey provided it put in place human rights 
safeguards for children. 
 
¶4.  British Embassy human rights officer Philippa Saunders 
told us that the incident will not change the UK's support 
for Turkey's EU accession.  Saunders noted that the GOT is 
undertaking a genuine effort to improve foster care and 
improve training for SHCEK staff.  The GOT also recognizes 
that over 60 percent of children are put into care for 
economic reasons, said Saunders, and it is working to prevent 
such economic decisions in the future. AKP MP and member of 
the Parliament's Human Rights Commission Abdurrahman Kurt 
said that although Ferguson's tactics may not have been the 
most appropriate, this incident will encourage the GOT to 
find creative methods to address the issue.  He noted that 
Turkey has taken steps to improve the situation by providing 
financial support to parents who struggle with childcare 
costs and who have disabled children. 
 
¶5.  Contacts from human rights organizations were critical of 
the reaction by Turkish authority and certain members of the 
media to Ferguson's secret visit and expose.  The Human 
Rights Foundation issued a press statement criticizing 
Cubukcu's reaction.  Vice president of the Human Rights 
Research Association Ayse Bilgen said the Turkish media's 
coverage of the issue was a disservice to improving human 
rights in Turkey.  The reporting focused Ferguson's 
circumvention of authorities and the government's reaction to 
her tactics and ignored the reality of the continuing poor 
state of orphanages and other social service facilities in 
Turkey.  Bilgen said this coverage epitomized the reflexive 
defensiveness Turks often exhibit when evidence of a human 
rights deficiencies arise.  When domestic or international 
human rights organizations point to a deficiency in the 
Turkish system, she explained, the government often tries to 
 
ISTANBUL 00000563  002 OF 002 
 
 
point to similarly existing situations in Europe.  A vital 
step Turkey must take in order to becoming a modern democracy 
is to acknowledge its own shortcomings instead of trying to 
pretend they do not exist, according to Bilgen. 
 
¶6.  Turkey's first NGO dedicated to advocating for human 
rights in the field of mental health, Human Rights in Mental 
Health Initiative, released a detailed report on the state of 
mental health facilities in the country last week. Between 
June 2007 and October 2008 HRMHI conducted the research in 
collaboration with Human Rights Agenda Association and 
Bogazici University Social Policy Forum, with the permission 
of the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Child 
Protection Agency.  The research team including human rights 
lawyers, mental health specialists, and activists visited 
twelve of the 41 centers across Turkey, including Ankara's 
Saray Rehabilitation Center also visited by Ferguson. In 
addition to highlighting best practices, the team offered 
recommendations for the improvement of conditions in all 
orphanages.  Common areas for improvement included: 
 
- increasing the number of professional staff available 
-improving hygienic conditions and the bed to child ratio (in 
some cases, two children slept in one bed) 
- increasing the number of treatment facilities available at 
the institutions 
- varying treatment from only antipsychotic drugs and 
antidepressants 
- allowing for greater freedom of movement 
- providing planned and regular rehabilitation activities for 
all residents 
- obtaining consent for the use of electro-shock therapy 
 
¶7.  HRMHI president Sehnaz Layikel explained that the GOT 
must change its mentality with regard to mental health 
patients. As an example, she cited SHCEK's focus on building 
new housing in Saray rather than training staff or offering 
rehabilitation. "No expert in Turkey feels that a disabled 
child can improve. The government must change its mentality 
to one that considers disabled children to be humans with 
needs and emotions." In the future, Layikel suggests the 
government provide expanded training for its staff and 
cooperate with NGOs dedicated to advocacy and support for the 
mentally disabled. She is pleased to see that Ferguson's 
visit has become a "human rights incident rather than a 
diplomatic incident." 
WIENER