Pamuk trial in Turkey: "black day for Turkey's accession process"
Amid chaotic scenes in and outside the courtroom, the trial of Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk has been adjourned until 7 February 2006. An MEP called it "a black day for Turkey's accession process".
Euractiv, Brussels, 19/12/2005
The Istanbul court deliberating the case of the well known Turkish
novelist Orhan Pamuk decided to adjourn the trial until 7 February 2006
to give the Turkish Justice Ministry time to establish whether the case
was in line with judicial procedures.
Pamuk, 53, often mentioned as a Nobel Prize candidate, faces up to
three years in jail for "insulting Turkish identity" by telling a Swiss
newspaper that one million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds were killed in
the country in the 20th century. Pamuk is set to be tried under the
criticised Article 301 of the recently revised Turkish penal code. The
article has drawn criticism from all over the world.
According to observer accounts, Pamuk's initial hearing on 16
December took place amid chaotic scenes. Reiterating Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn's opinion that "not just Pamuk but Turkey also
was on trial" in Istanbul, MEP Geoffrey Van Orden said that the "scenes
in the courthouse were chaotic and became very aggressive".
Pravda reported that in the courtroom one lawyer shouted at the
European delegation that "you have no right to interfere in the Turkish
justice system". Inside the packed courtroom, a British diplomat and a
German MEP were reportedly attacked by "hostile" groups of
nationalists, who also threw eggs at Pamuk.
MEP Camiel Eurlings said that "this is a black day for Turkey's
accession process [...] The [Turkish] government badly missed the
opportunity to cancel this case, having it go ahead instead. This is
very bad for Turkey's image in Europe".
Rehn has said that the case is "a litmus test as to whether Turkey
is seriously committed to the freedom of expression and reforms that
enhance the rule of law and benefit all Turkish citizens".
Links:
Euractiv: www.euractiv.com/Article
