NO LEGAL PROCEEDINGS FOR APOLOGY

Hurriye
Jan 27 2009
Turkey

ANKARA – The initiation of legal proceedings concerning the
controversial "I apologize" campaign regarding the 1915 incidents
is not required, the Ankara Public Prosecutor’s Office announced
yesterday.

"Since opposing ideas are protected by the right to freedom of thought
in democratic societies, it has been decided that the initiation of
proceedings is not required," the decision read.

Six prosecutors submitted a petition calling for the penalization of
organizers of the apology campaign for "insulting the Turkish nation
openly" under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, or TCK, and the
public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into the issue. "My
conscience does not accept the insensitivity and the denial of the
‘Great Catastrophe’ that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in
1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the
feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters. I apologize
to them," said the campaign’s petition, which a few of Turkey’s
intellectuals opened for signature.

The campaign drew harsh reactions from some groups within the
country. So far the petition has 28,219 signatures.