Ankara hints at changes to controversial article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 07, 2008 15:03
Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin, speaking at a press conference today in Ankara, noted that the AKP-led administration had prepared a bill proposing changes to the controversial article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code.
Article 301 came under heavy fire last year when it was used in inconclusive trials against notables such as Hrant Dink, writer Elif Safak, and Nobel prize award winning author Orhan Pamuk. The article calls for, among other things, punishment against those "insulting Turkishness."
When asked what stages the preparations for changes to article 301 were in, Minister Sahin responded: "There has been work going on for a long time in relation to article 301. Sometime this week our ministry will be presenting the bill aimed at changing this article to the Turkish Parliament. The preparations are at an end." Sahin would not comment specifically on what sort of changes lie in store for article 301 if the bill is in fact accepted.
When asked what stages the preparations for changes to article 301 were in, Minister Sahin responded: "There has been work going on for a long time in relation to article 301. Sometime this week our ministry will be presenting the bill aimed at changing this article to the Turkish Parliament. The preparations are at an end." Sahin would not comment specifically on what sort of changes lie in store for article 301 if the bill is in fact accepted.