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AAA: Rep Crowley Urges Congress To Honor Dink Memory, Support Repeal

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  • AAA: Rep Crowley Urges Congress To Honor Dink Memory, Support Repeal

    Armenian Assembly of America
    1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
    Washington, DC 20036
    Phone: 202-393-3434
    Fax: 202-638-4904
    Email: [email protected]
    Web: www.aaainc.org


    PRESS RELEASE
    January 18, 2007
    CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
    E-mail: [email protected]


    CONGRESSMAN CROWLEY URGES CONGRESS TO HONOR DINK'S MEMORY BY SUPPORTING
    REPEAL OF ARTICLE 301

    Washington, DC - Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) yesterday urged Congress to
    honor the memory of slain journalist and human rights activist, Hrant
    Dink, by supporting the immediate repeal of Article 301 of the Turkish
    penal code.

    The much-criticized law used to curb freedom of speech and criminalize
    public discussion on the Armenian Genocide is widely believed to have
    led to Dink's assassination in broad daylight on an Istanbul street on
    January 19, 2007.

    "Many informed observers believe Hrant Dink's prosecution under Article
    301 opened him up to a campaign of harassment and death threats from
    ultranationalists, which eventually led to his murder," said Crowley.
    "To this day, citizens of Turkey live under threat of this gag law, with
    Hrant Dink's own son prosecuted under this law because he reprinted his
    father's newspaper article." [See text of Crowley's remarks in the House
    of Representatives below.]

    "This is not the action of a true democracy," he continued. "It is
    reflective of how a totalitarian state would behave, and this is not the
    Turkey we, the United States of America, have aligned our country with."

    Last January, Crowley introduced legislation (H. Res. 102) which
    condemned Dink's murder, honored his legacy and called on Turkey to take
    appropriate action to protect freedom of speech by repealing Article
    301. The resolution is currently pending in the House Foreign Affairs
    Committee.

    "With no demonstrable steps taken to abolish Article 301 a year after
    Hrant Dink's murder, it is clear that Armenians and other minorities are
    still at risk in Turkey," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan
    Ardouny. "We therefore commend Congressman Crowley for spearheading
    this legislation and urge its timely adoption. Passage of H. Res. 102
    will pay lasting tribute to Dink's legacy of tolerance and send a clear
    message that the United States does not stand for repression of free
    speech."

    The Assembly remains committed to honoring Hrant Dink's memory and
    legacy. For more on Dink, including background information, official
    statements and media reports, please visit the Hrant Dink Resource Page
    on the Assembly's Website at www.aaainc.org/index.php?id=507.

    Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
    Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
    and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt
    membership organization.

    NR#2008-003

    Editor's Note: Below is the full text of Congressman Crowley's remarks
    on the floor of the House of Representatives.

    SPEECH OF
    HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY
    OF NEW YORK
    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
    THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2008

    Madam Speaker, I rise today to solemnly remember the life of journalist
    and activist Hrant Dink.

    On January 19, 2007, Mr. Dink was gunned down by a Turkish
    ultranationalist outside his newspaper office in Istanbul, Turkey.

    Hrant Dink was a man who called for tolerance, peaceful dialogue, and
    greater civil rights for all Turkish citizens. He was a fierce defender
    of freedom and believed all people have equal rights under the law. He
    believed that everyone should have the right to know the truth about
    their Nation's past, however dark that past may be.

    Hrant Dink had been prosecuted by the Turkish Government under penal
    code 301, a law that bans free speech and was used to suppress a wide
    range of dissenting opinion, from criticism of Turkish Government
    institutions to opposing official Turkish denial of the Ottoman campaign
    of genocide against its Armenian population. Under the all-encompassing
    phrase "insulting Turkishness," a citizen in Turkey can receive a prison
    sentence of up to 3 years with the offense being increased by 50 percent
    if the so-called offense is committed abroad.

    Nearly 100 journalists and intellectuals have been prosecuted under
    article 301, including Nobel Prize author Orhan Pamuk. Many informed
    observers believe Hrant Dink's prosecution under article 301 opened him
    up to a campaign of harassment and death threats from ultranationalists,
    which eventually led to his murder. To this day, citizens of Turkey live
    under threat of this gag law, with Hrant Dink's own son prosecuted under
    this law because he reprinted his father's newspaper articles.

    This is not the action of a true democracy. It is reflective of how a
    totalitarian state would behave, and this is not the Turkey we, the
    United States of America, have aligned our country with.

    Amnesty International has called for a complete repeal of this punitive
    legislation. The European Commission has repeatedly asked for its
    repeal.

    Unfortunately, indications now suggest that the Government of Turkey is
    only tinkering with changes, making this gag rule even more ambiguous.
    Today, I ask the House to support calls for the Turkish Government to
    immediately repeal article 301.

    One year ago, Members of Congress, their staffers and several members,
    and members of several communities, came together to watch "Screamers,"
    a film about genocide in the last century, featuring, among others,
    Hrant Dink . Here, in the Halls of Congress, we watched as Hrant Dink
    discussed the problems of article 301.

    Just 2 days after the film's premiere, Hrant Dink was shot dead, a man
    who only wanted to speak the truth about historical facts as he saw
    them, a man who wanted every citizen to be treated equally, a man we
    should applaud here in America for his courage and dedication to
    democracy.

    I believe that if Turkey wants to further explore the opportunities that
    she wishes to do within the present European Union, she must address the
    issue of article 301. I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring the
    memory of Hrant Dink and continue to urge the repeal of article 301.

    -end-
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