GUL SURE COURT WILL JUSTIFY PAMUK

Pan Armenian
10.10.2005 19:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish FM Abdullah Gul has stated he is sure
that the court will pass a sentence justifying the most famous
writer in contemporary Turkey – Orhan Pamuk for his statements on
the Armenian Genocide. “Trials of this kind were held in the past,
too – for the same statements, for the same words and courts passed
sentences, according to which everyone has a right to express his or
her opinion. I am sure the court will pronounce a similar decision in
Pamuk’s case,” A. Gul stated. It should be reminded that Orhan Pamuk’s
February interview with the Tages-Anzeiger Swiss newspaper resulted in
instituting proceedings against him. In the interview Pamuk stated,
“One million Armenians were killed in these lands and no one except
me dares speak about it.” Turkish court considered this part of the
statement as “public abasement of Turkish identity.” According to
Turkish laws, Pamuk may face imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years. The
trial scheduled for December 16 has already been criticized by the
European society and EU officials.

They consider this as “a step backward in human rights and Turkey’s
reforms.” The other day EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn
met with Orhan Pamuk. He expressed his support to the writer and
urged Ankara “to respect freedom of speech.” On Friday Istanbul court
condemned the Agos Armenian newspaper editor Hrant Dink to 6 months’
suspended sentence “for insulting Turkish national identity.” This
means “the ethnic Armenian journalist will not be imprisoned unless
he repeats his actions,” reported RFE/RL.