Bibliofemme News
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24/01/2006
Turkish court drops Pamuk case
Charges of "insulting Turkishness" against internationally acclaimed
novelist, Orhan Pamuk were dropped by a Turkish court yesterday.
Pamuk was indicted under Article 301 of the new penal code for telling the
Swiss magazine Tages Anzeiger in February that "thirty thousand Kurds and
one million Armenians were killed in these lands, and nobody but me dares to
talk about it".
Article 301 makes insults against the Turkish Republic or "Turkishness"
illegal.
The trial raised questions about Turkey's bid for European Union membership
and the country's commitment to freedom of speech.
Pamuk, the author of 'Snow', 'Istanbul' and the IMPAC Award-winning 'My Name
is Red', had faced up to three years in prison.
Maureen Freely, Pamuk's translator and friend, told BBC that the author was
delighted that the case had been dropped.
But, she added, a group of more than 60 writers and publishers still face
similar charges in Turkey
"In two weeks' time there are going to be eight new trials opening, and our
concern is that because Orhan is no longer part of this group, that there
will be less international pressure," she said.
"In fact, there should be more international pressure, because there's a
real chance that we can convince the government that it should drop these
laws altogether and turn Turkey into a democracy along European lines."
Bibliofemme News:
Turkish writer and publisher fined
Novelist Pamuk's trial suspended in Turkey
Turkish author Pamuk wins French literary award
Pamuk faces jail in Turkey after genocide allegations
Snow by Orhan Pamuk
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