Turks to rally against article 301 Saturday

PanARMENIAN.Net - Recently established "No to racism and nationalism" Turkish public movement is launching a campaign tomorrow to demand annulment of article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code. The slogan of the action is "Article 301 must be cancelled. Racists must be punished." The initiators are convinced that article 301, which criminalizes "insulting Turkishness", is a serious obstacle to freedom of speech in Turkey. The action participants intend to issue a declaration to be submitted to the Turkish parliament. The measure is supported by Heinrich Böll Foundation.



"No to racism and nationalism" public movement was formed after the killing of Agos editor Hrant Dink. The movement members are going to participate in court sessions on Dink's murder and in hearings of suits brought against Agos current editors, RFE/RL reports.



Editor Hrant Dink, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, novelist Elif Shafak stood trial under article 301, which was numerously subjected to severe criticism by Turkish intellectuals and European Union.