Pity as Turkey carries the burden
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Tensions were running high at an Istanbul court yesterday as Turkey's world-renowned author Orhan Pamuk went on trial for "insulting Turkishness". Pamuk added to the tension surrounding the case with his harsh criticisms over the actions of the public prosecutor, who had only called for the trial on the last day. Turkey is paying a high price, as police were not able to provide ample safety for the courts, which resulted in protesters beating up two EU representatives, who were in Turkey to observe the case.
Demand of up to 3 years
The court case regarding writer Pamuk’s statement: A million Armenians and 30 thousand Kurds have lost their lives on these lands, which appeared last February in a Swiss newspaper, demands up to 3 years imprisonment for his words that are seen to be ‘denigrating Turkishness’ under the new penal code.
Hearing adjourned until February
Nothing could be done yesterday, because of the courts’ late request for ‘permission to try’ the old file, which was sent to the Ministry of Justice just one day before the hearing, although the trial began 6 months ago. The case was suspended until February 7, in order to wait for the file.
Punches to vehicle cause crack in windscreen
Eggs were thrown at Pamuk’s car by a group waiting outside the courthouse where the case , which has made Turkey into a target of discussion over freedom of expression, got underway yesterday in Istanbul. The EU are closely monitoring the case, which is causing a stir in the international community over whether Turkey is truly democratic or not. Punches to Pamuk’s vehicle caused the window to crack as he left the courthouse yesterday.