Gul Sure Court Will Justify Pamuk

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish FM Abdullah Gul has stated he is sure that the court will pass a sentence justifying the most famous writer in contemporary Turkey - Orhan Pamuk for his statements on the Armenian Genocide. «Trials of this kind were held in the past, too - for the same statements, for the same words and courts passed sentences, according to which everyone has a right to express his or her opinion. I am sure the court will pronounce a similar decision in Pamuk's case,» A. Gul stated. It should be reminded that Orhan Pamuk's February interview with the Tages-Anzeiger Swiss newspaper resulted in instituting proceedings against him. In the interview Pamuk stated, «One million Armenians were killed in these lands and no one except me dares speak about it.» Turkish court considered this part of the statement as «public abasement of Turkish identity.» According to Turkish laws, Pamuk may face imprisonment from 6 months to 3 years. The trial scheduled for December 16 has already been criticized by the European society and EU officials. They consider this as «a step backward in human rights and Turkey's reforms.» The other day EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn met with Orhan Pamuk. He expressed his support to the writer and urged Ankara «to respect freedom of speech.» On Friday Istanbul court condemned the Agos Armenian newspaper editor Hrant Dink to 6 months' suspended sentence «for insulting Turkish national identity.» This means «the ethnic Armenian journalist will not be imprisoned unless he repeats his actions,» reported RFE/RL.