SABANCI: WHILE WE TRY TO LIFT ARTICLE 301, FRANCE ACTS AFRAID OF TRUTH
Hurriyet, Turkey
Oct 5 2006
As part of the "Turkey Week" sponsored by the Turkish Industrialists
and Business Foundation (TUSIAD), a panel entitled "European Global
Struggles and Turkey" took on the controversial topic of France’s
approach towards Armenian claims of genocide. With an upcoming debate
in the French Parliament on a law which would forbid public denial of
the so-called Armenian genocide, TUSIAD President Omer Sabanci spoke
yesterday about how this law contrasted with Turkey’s hotly debated
article 301 from the Turkish Penal Code.
Answering questions after the panel, Sabanci reminded reporters that
TUSIAD was at the forefront in Turkey of putting pressure on Ankara
to either alter or remove article 301 from the Turkish Penal Code. He
then said "And while we take these steps towards freedom of expression,
I cannot understand how France is embracing a stance which would limit
freedom of expression. This stance seem to me to be the stance of a
country which fears something."