AKI, Italy
Jan 30 2007

TURKEY: CIVIL SOCIETY TO MOBILISE AGAINST ‘OFFENDING TURKISHNESS’ LAW

Istanbul, 30 Jan. (AKI) – Turkish non-govermental organisations,
labour unions and other civil society groups are expected to meet
later this week to prepare a proposal for the scrapping of a
controversial law that makes it a crime to ‘offend Turkishness’ by
citing the early 20th century genocide of Armenians under the
Ottomans. The meeting which is likely to take place in Ankara on
Friday comes in the wake of the 19 January assassination of a
prominent Turkish-Armenian journalist.

Hrant Dink, who frequently went on trial for condemning the mass
killing of Armenians by Turks, was shot dead by a 17-year-old boy in
Istanbul. Civil rights activists say the killing was inspired by
ultra-nationalists who use the controversial ‘offend Turkishness’
article 301 in the penal code to whip up hatred against those who
speak out on the Armenian genocide.

Following Dink’s funeral on January 23 when tens of thousands of
people marched in Istanbul to pay homage to the murdered journalist
and in the name of freedom of expression, Turkey has experienced a
groundswell of opposition to article 301. Civil society groups have
since decided to take up prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s offer
to review proposals for the 301’s amendment or scrapping.

Groups working on the proposal include the Ankara Bar Association
which will host Friday’s proposed meeting, the confederation of
Turkish Labour Unions, the Union of Notaries, the Turkish Public
Workers Union, the Civil Servants Trade Union, the Turkish Union of
Engineers and the Chamber of Architects, the Turkish Doctors Union,
the Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions, the Turkish Union of
Chambers and Commodities Exchanges and the Turkish Penal Code
Association.

"The government is passing the ball but it should not. This is the
political responsibility of government and we will send the ball
back," said Ozdemir Ozakman president of Ankara’s Bar Association.

After the meeting a committee will be established and this committee
will meet Justice Minister Cemil Cicek – who personally favours the
retention of 301 – as well as Erdogan.

The European Union – which is in membership talks with Turkey –
proposed some amendments last year but they were turned down by
Ankara.

Observers say that even an amendment to the law would be a difficult
move for Erdogan’s government which is counting on the nationalist
vote in elections slated for November.

(Vah/Aki)