WRITER CLEARED OF CHARGES IN ISTANBUL
By Sebnem Arsu

New York Times
June 25 2009

ISTANBUL — A court here on Thursday dropped charges against a Turkish
writer who was accused of inciting religious hatred in a novel based
on the birth of Islam. Nedim Gursel’s novel "The Daughters of Allah,"
was published in Turkey last year.

The case came to trial after a complaint by Ali Emre Bukagili, a member
of a religiously inspired, group that campaigned worldwide against
the theory of evolution. Mr. Bukagili claimed that Mr. Gursel’s use
of inappropriate language against the Prophet, his wives and the
Koran could not be interpreted as freedom of expression.

Mr. Gursel, who holds French citizenship, could have faced up to a year
in prison if convicted. Mr. Gursel has stood by the integrity of his
work and said such trials damage Turkey’s membership in the European
Union. In January of 2006 the same court cleared writer Orhan Pamuk
of insulting the Turkish nation with remarks about the massacres of
Armenians between 1915 and 1917. Later that year, Mr. Pamuk won the
Nobel Prize for literature.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress