TURKS TO PROTEST AGAINST ARTICLE 301 SATURDAY

AZG Armenian Daily #168
15/09/2007

Recently established "No to racism and nationalism" Turkish public
movement is launching a campaign tomorrow to demand annulment of
article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. The slogan of the action is
"Article 301 must be cancelled. Racists must be punished." The
initiators are convinced that article 301, which criminalizes
"insulting Turkishness", is a serious obstacle to freedom of speech
in Turkey. The action participants intend to issue a declaration
to be submitted to the Turkish parliament. The measure is supported
by Heinrich Boll Foundation. "No to racism and nationalism" public
movement was formed after the killing of Agos editor Hrant Dink. The
movement members are going to participate in court sessions on Dink’s
murder and in hearings of suits brought against Agos current editors,
RFE/RL reports.Editor Hrant Dink, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk,
novelist Elif Shafak stood trial under article 301, which was
numerously subjected to severe criticism by Turkish intellectuals
and European Union.