TURKEY REJECTS CRIMINAL PROSECUTION IN APOLOGY CAMPAIGN TO ARMENIANS

Hurriyet
Jan 26 2009
Turkey

The office of the Ankara Public Prosecutor ruled Monday against demands
for the criminal prosecution of individuals who initiated an Internet
campaign to issue a public apology to Armenians.

The prosecutors’ office in Ankara earlier this month launched an
investigation into the issue after six Turkish prosecutors submitted
a petition calling for the organizers of the apology campaign to be
charged with "insulting the Turkish nation openly" under Article 301
of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

"It has been decided that there is no need for criminal prosecution
on the legal grounds that opposing opinions are also protected under
freedom of thought in democratic societies," the prosecutors’ office,
which completed its investigation regarding the demands, said in
its ruling.

Around 200 Turkish academics, writers and journalists launched a
website issuing an apology to Armenians regarding the 1915 incidents
and called for people to sign on in support.

The efforts of the intellectuals drew fierce reaction in Turkey
and incited counter website campaigns, and exhibitions containing
information and photographs from studies conducted into the events.

Armenia, with the backing of the diaspora, claims up to 1.5 million
of their kin were slaughtered in orchestrated killings in 1915.Turkey
rejects the claims saying that 300,000 Armenians, along with at least
as many Turks, died in civil strife that emerged when Armenians took
up arms, backed by Russia, for independence in eastern Anatolia.

The issue remains unsolved as Armenia drags its feet on accepting
Turkey’s proposal to form an independent commission to investigate
the claims.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress