TURKISH NGOS REACH CONSENSUS OVER ARTICLE 301

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Feb 5 2007

The NGO grouping said that their proposed amendments to article 301
would be released on February 8.

Guncelleme: 18:49 TSÝ 05 Þubat 2007 PazartesiISTANBUL – Turkish
non-governmental organisations have decided on a common position over
proposals to amend a controversial article of the Turkish Penal Code
seen as limiting freedom of speech.

According to Davut Okukcu, the chairman of the Economic Developments
Foundation, the current state of article 301, which covers the crime
of insulting Turkish identity, was confusing, vague and open to debate.

This had resulted in different understandings among the executioners
of law, he said.

The aim of NGOs was to contribute to the removal of the mentioned
article from Turkey’s agenda and to help end the chaotic atmosphere,
Okukcu said.

The Turkish government has signalled its willingness to change the
article after Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was assassinated
last month. Dink had been convicted under article 301 after being found
guilty of insulting Turkish identity, a charge he strongly denied.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had stressed that if the NGOs
failed to produce a proposal, the government would go ahead with
their scheme on alterations to the article.

–Boundary_(ID_ubra6Y/gkx43YR/7KfBJ3Q)–