The New Anatolian
via ABHaber, Belgium
Jan 30 2007
Political scientist Oran: We already see 301’s effects in atmosphere
praising violence
A controversial academic, apparently out of favor with state
institutions since he advocated further rights for non-Muslim
minorities in a state-ordered report, yesterday said no good can come
from Turkish Penal Code (TCK) Article 301.
"The article should be completely annulled because the problem isn’t
the article itself but its implementation," said Ankara University
political scientist Baskin Oran, using the words of those defending
the article, but reaching an opposite conclusion.
Apart from several politicians arguing that the article sets up a
wall against insults aimed at the Turkish state and its institutions,
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek laid the blame on the judiciary, saying
that judges should adopt new insights into the article’s
interpretation and implementation.
Cicek on Sunday also responded to accusations that the government
lacks the will to change the article, but is mentioning it to satisfy
the European Union, which has been pushing Turkey to annul or at
least change the article to achieve a fair and transparent penal
code.
Cicek said that the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party
government has made changes to the article twice and added that if
another change is necessary the government will not shrink from its
responsibility.
He also reiterated his view that several EU member countries also
have similar articles. "Society has split in three over the article,"
said Cicek, adding, "One group says the article should be annulled
altogether, one says it should be kept with a couple of changes, and
the other even goes as far as saying that the penalties should be
increased."
He said he received 12 advisory offers for change so far, adding that
the government has no bias on the change.
However Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, at a press conference
prior to his departure for Sudan on Sunday, said that there is no way
that the article can be annulled, but that the government is open to
any suggestions for change.
"I call upon the academics who want to see the article annulled to
reconsider their views, their suggestions are not viable. There are
several countries with articles similar to our 301," said Erdogan.
He also criticized civil groups for the current wide disagreements
between them. "I personally held meetings with several civil groups
over the article but I saw that they even cannot come to terms with
each other," the premier said.
Baskin applies to prosecutor over threats
Oran, after applying to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office
regarding a threatening letter, said that he has been receiving such
letters since his report about minority groups’ rights, which sparked
tense debates.
"There’s no need to wait to see the implementation of the article
under such an atmosphere praising violence. We are experiencing its
practices on a daily basis," Oran added. He also stood trial on
charges of spreading discriminatory propaganda and provoking hatred
along with another academic, but the charges were dropped.
Oran, accompanied by officials and members of several human rights
groups, told reporters that he applied to the prosecutor’s office
late in 2004 over two threats but his complaint was dropped.
He also handed out copies of letters he was sent. He said that he
asked Public Prosecutor Hasan Dursun to prosecute the senders of the
letters and emails but added that the prosecutor had asked if he
could reach a compromise with those threatening him.
Oran is the third public figure to apply to the prosecutor over
threats or make public threatening messages after Armenian-origin
Turkish journalist Hrant Dink was killed.
Dink was gunned down by a teenager who reportedly wanted to punish
the journalist for his views.
Orhan Pamuk, the Nobel Prize-winning Turkish author, said he has also
been receiving threats. He was given state protection after Dink’s
murder. Both stood trial under Article 301 on charges of "insulting
Turkishness."