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Turkish Law: Change Does Not Go Far Enough

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  • Turkish Law: Change Does Not Go Far Enough

    TURKISH LAW: CHANGE DOES NOT GO FAR ENOUGH

    Watertown Daily Times, MA
    http://www.watertowndailytimes.com/article/2008 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.
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