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Turkish Daily News , Turkey
Jan 26 2007
Businessmen and EC urge amendment to anti-free speech article
Turkey's most influential businessmen's association TÜSİAD and
the European Council have expressed concern over Article 301
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
The discussion on how to treat infamous Article 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code (TCK) has heated up again following the assassination of
journalist Hrant Dink last week.
Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink was gunned down last week by a
Turkish youth who said Dink had insulted Turks.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül said on Wednesday "the door for
changes to 301 is open." The European Union has also called on
Turkey, an EU candidate, to abrogate the law.
Dink, like dozens of other Turkish intellectuals, had been
prosecuted under Article 301 for his writings on the massacres of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I, a highly sensitive
issue in Turkey.
His death has put the article and possible amendments to it under
the spotlight.
Civil society leaders, businessmen and politicians continued to
declare their stance on Article 301 on Thursday.
In its 37th General Assembly convention on Thursday, senior members
of Turkey's most influential businessmen's association, the Turkish
Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD), expressed
concern over the article in political statements.
TÜSİAD's Higher Advisory Council President Mustafa Koç
expressed his opinion that Article 301 was one of the elements to lay
the fertile ground for Dink's assassination. "Certain political
movements and pro-status quo sections of society are attempting to
block transformation and development. These groups resisting change
instead of calling for democratic initiatives, as in the case of
Article 301, cause growing pessimism."
Another statement on 301 was made by Social Democratic People's
Party (SHP) Secretary-General Ahmet Güryüz Ketenci.
"The CHP and the AKP should stop being twofaced and launch the
initiatives to amend Article 301," Ketenci said in a written
statement.
Meanwhile, nationalist circles also made their stance clear on the
article on Sunday. Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) President Sinan
Aygün spoke at an ATO convention on Thursday saying that linking the
assassination of Dink to Article 301 was unacceptable.
Aygün said the article should be preserved as is, adding that ATO
supported both the article and the government. "We are on the side of
everything that is good," he added.
Council of Europe urges change to 301:
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said Turkey
should scrap Article 301 from its penal code, Reuters reported on
Thursday afternoon.
"The existence of this measure, which judicially limits the freedom
of expression, only validates legal and other attacks against
journalists," a resolution passed by the assembly said.
Jan 26 2007
Businessmen and EC urge amendment to anti-free speech article
Turkey's most influential businessmen's association TÜSİAD and
the European Council have expressed concern over Article 301
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
The discussion on how to treat infamous Article 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code (TCK) has heated up again following the assassination of
journalist Hrant Dink last week.
Turkish-Armenian journalist Dink was gunned down last week by a
Turkish youth who said Dink had insulted Turks.
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül said on Wednesday "the door for
changes to 301 is open." The European Union has also called on
Turkey, an EU candidate, to abrogate the law.
Dink, like dozens of other Turkish intellectuals, had been
prosecuted under Article 301 for his writings on the massacres of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I, a highly sensitive
issue in Turkey.
His death has put the article and possible amendments to it under
the spotlight.
Civil society leaders, businessmen and politicians continued to
declare their stance on Article 301 on Thursday.
In its 37th General Assembly convention on Thursday, senior members
of Turkey's most influential businessmen's association, the Turkish
Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (TÜSİAD), expressed
concern over the article in political statements.
TÜSİAD's Higher Advisory Council President Mustafa Koç
expressed his opinion that Article 301 was one of the elements to lay
the fertile ground for Dink's assassination. "Certain political
movements and pro-status quo sections of society are attempting to
block transformation and development. These groups resisting change
instead of calling for democratic initiatives, as in the case of
Article 301, cause growing pessimism."
Another statement on 301 was made by Social Democratic People's
Party (SHP) Secretary-General Ahmet Güryüz Ketenci.
"The CHP and the AKP should stop being twofaced and launch the
initiatives to amend Article 301," Ketenci said in a written
statement.
Meanwhile, nationalist circles also made their stance clear on the
article on Sunday. Ankara Chamber of Commerce (ATO) President Sinan
Aygün spoke at an ATO convention on Thursday saying that linking the
assassination of Dink to Article 301 was unacceptable.
Aygün said the article should be preserved as is, adding that ATO
supported both the article and the government. "We are on the side of
everything that is good," he added.
Council of Europe urges change to 301:
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said Turkey
should scrap Article 301 from its penal code, Reuters reported on
Thursday afternoon.
"The existence of this measure, which judicially limits the freedom
of expression, only validates legal and other attacks against
journalists," a resolution passed by the assembly said.