TURKISH LAW: CHANGE DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH
Watertown Daily Times, MA
0502/OPINION01/581778319
May 2 2008
A modest step by Turkey’s parliament to counter criticism of its
"anti-Turkish" law falls short of real reform.
Turkey has come under fire for laws restricting free speech by making
it a crime to denigrate Turkish identity. The law has been used against
thousands of people, among them prominent writers who have referred
to the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians near the end of World War I
as genocide. The government rejects the label.
Under the approved reform, individuals can still be prosecuted for
insults to the "Turkish nation" instead of "Turkishness," although
such distinctions can be easily blurred. Those convicted under the
change, which must be approved by Turkey’s president, can still be
sentenced to up to two years in jail, down from a maximum of three
years. The sentence could be suspended for first-time offenders.
The European Union had pressed Turkey to change the law as a condition
for entry into the organization. The EU presidency called the vote a
"constructive step forward in ensuring freedom of expression, and we
look forward to its effective implementation."
A spokeswoman for Human Rights Watch called it "a deeply disappointing
revision."
Hard-liners objected to the changes, but it is hard to see them as
a major step forward. The law still allows people to be prosecuted
for opinions that may be contrary to an official or orthodox
viewpoint. When considering Turkey’s admission, the European Union
should stand firm for repeal of such laws.