Cyprus-Forum.com

[ARMENIAN CYPRIOT]

Turkish daily Todays Zaman newspaper (19.06.08) reports the following:
A Turkish publisher has been sentenced to five months in prison for publishing a book by a British author about a mass killing of Armenians in 1915. Ragip Zarakolu was found guilty of insulting the institutions of the Turkish Republic under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) on Tuesday.

The controversial article was recently amended under pressure from the EU to ensure freedom of speech in Turkey. This is the first high-profile verdict to be handed down since then.

Zarakolus sentence seems to confirm campaigners fears that changes to the law were merely cosmetic. In April it became a crime to insult the Turkish nation, rather than Turkishness. But insulting the Turkish nation is still punishable by up to two years in jail. Zarakolu was brought to trial for publishing a book by British author George Jerjian on the mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

Turkey denies the killings were genocide, saying both Turks and Armenians were killed, and the issue remains highly sensitive.

Reading the verdict, the judge told Zarakolu he had insulted the Turkish republic and its founders. His own defense -- that he had the right to criticize -- was rejected. Zarakolus case was not referred to the Ministry of Justice, as required under the reforms, and he has said he will appeal against the verdict. His sentence will not be imposed until the appeals process is complete.

Standing outside the court, Zarakolu said such rulings had silenced many writers in Turkey but that he would continue to challenge the restrictions. I was partly expecting this result. But it is a struggle for the truth and it will go on. I do not consider myself convicted. This is a conviction for official history and for denial, he said.



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[miltiades]

A nation that can not accept criticism by its citizens is no more a nation than a military regime. All civilized democracies not only allow their citizens to criticise and judge but encourage them to do so. Shame on Turkey .

[bill cobbett]

Absolutely disgraceful limitation of free speech and a free press - both vital components of any western democracy - well looks like the fascist RoT isn't one.

[Raymanoff]

the LAW is in place... its fukin clearly says in the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code...
thats as far fro breaking the law... now regarding genocide is a different story.

is like walking up to a person with a finger pointed at him and shout "You got huge hemorrhoids...!!! i saw them!!! very bad ones..." one would probably get a slap/punch in his face...

So the subject of Armenian genocide is painful for Turkey... they don't like to be reminded of it, talk about it, neither accept it... so they create silly laws.

IN Russia for example instead of going to prison, some journalists just get a bullet in their head... a quick and simple way of keeping someone else's mouth shut and blame their death on their financial activities and ties with criminals.

[CanDiaz]

Absolutely disgraceful limitation of free speech and a free press - both vital components of any western democracy - well looks like the fascist RoT isn't one.

Tell that to all the protesters arrested & detained in the last Republican convention in New York, or anyone trying to demonstrate in parliament square in London. Or the free press that didnt bat an eyelid when the west
you hold in such high esteem invaded a sovereign nation over nothing!
Vital components my ass.