Turkish Foreign Minister reacted to the arousing condemnation of the trial of Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk scheduled for December 16. “Our courts are independent and people in Turkey are free to write and say what they think”, Gul stated. To note, criminal persecution of Pamuk was initiated in February, 2005 when during an interview with Tages Anzeiger daily he stated that a million of Armenians were killed in Ottoman Empire and “no one but me dares to say about it.” According to the Turkish criminal legislation, Pamuk can be sentenced to deprivation of liberty with the term of 6 months up to 3 years. The trail set for December 16 has already aroused indignation of the European community and EU officials. “No decision has been taken yet. However we would like to tell the whole world that Turks enjoy freedom of speech. People are free to voice their opinion unless it is propaganda of violence,” Andullah Gul said noting that the positive atmosphere has created thanked to the reforms carried out for EU membership. Well-known newspapers attended to the legal proceeding initiated against Orhan Pamuk. Los Angeles Times writes that this court examination proves “the deliberate attempts of the conservators of the Turkish government to foil Turkey’s accession to the EU.” “Turkey should count with its history. There is hardly a more fundamental principle for the European Union than freedom of speech”, Financial Times writes, reported by RFE/RL.
ԻմPANը
