German press debate circulation of Vakit newspaper

Following two recent editions of Vakit newspapers that were published in late February 2005 which were entitled, “Heil Otto! The Oven is Ready!” and “The Second Nazi Period,” there has been some debate in the German press over whether or not the newspaper should be banned due to the hard line pro-Nazi / anti-Semitic sentiment it provokes. In Tuesdays edition of Vakit, Nazi Swastikas and Jewish Stars were drawn in Otto’s eyes. Press Council President and Hurriyet Newspaper columnist Oktay Ekşi wrote in a recent column that while people may not appreciate what is being published in Vakit Newspaper it is against the freedom of the press to ban the newspaper and was a political decision with no legal base.  �