Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
March 9 2007

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRY REGRETS SWISS COURT RULING ON PARTY LEADER

Ankara/Lausanne, 9 March: Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
expressed regret over Swiss court’s decision about Dogu Perincek,
leader of Turkish Labour Party, who was tried in Lausanne and found
guilty of breaching Swiss laws by denying so-called Armenian
genocide.

In a written statement on Friday [9 March], the ministry said despite
the groundless, baseless and controversial subject of trial, court’s
decision led several questions.

"Acceptance of this decision by Turkish people is impossible," the
ministry said.

The ministry noted that it abstained from making any statements on
behalf of Turkey in order not to intervene in justice, stating that
it only expressed its belief on a neutral and fair decision by the
Swiss court. However, the ministry said, biased broadcast on Swiss TV
channels, reflection of the issue in the press for propaganda
advantages of prosecuting party and announcements as "denier" for
Perincek before court’s verdict, giving opportunity for every kind of
efforts to interfere in court’s decision caused deep sorrow.

"In the next phases of legal process related to the trial, we hope
that this injustice will be fixed by uncommitted and independent
judges and courts which we believe to exist in Switzerland," the
ministry said.

Earlier today, a Swiss court fined Perincek to 9,000 francs for
violating the Swiss law on "denying" so-called Armenian genocide but
this sentence was delayed for two years.

Dogu Perincek was detained in Switzerland on 24 July 2005 for saying
"Armenian genocide is an imperialist lie" in a press conference. He
was released after being interrogated for more than three hours.

Harshly reacting to the verdict, Perincek said, "This decision is the
concrete evidence of the grudge that Swiss judge holds against Turkey
and Turkish nation."

Perincek qualified the decision as "biased" and added, "I will appeal
the verdict. If I cannot get any result from the appeals court, I
will apply to the European Court of Human Rights."

Perincek has filed to appeal.

Perincek’s Swiss lawyer, Prof Moreillon, submitted Perincek’s
petition to Lausanne Court of Appeals this evening.

Moreillon also denounced judge Pierre Henri Winzap for using
expressions about Perincek as "arrogant, provocateur, racist,
nationalist" in the text of verdict.

Perincek will not wait for the decision of appeal court and he will
return to Turkey tomorrow.