AJC Calls on Turkey to Ensure Freedom of Expression
January 25, 2007 – New York – The American Jewish Committee is joining in the call for abolition of Turkish legislation, Law 301, which makes it a crime to “insult the Turkish identity.”
We join with our friends in the American Turkish community, as expressed by the Assembly of Turkish American Associations, in this effort. Law 301 is widely believed to have created the atmosphere that encouraged those responsible for the murder of Hrant Dink, the Turkish Armenian editor of Agos, who was shot at his Istanbul office last Friday.
AJC condemned the killing of Dink, and sent condolences to his family and those who advocate for the full freedom of expression in Turkey. The outpouring of grief, illustrated by the more than 100,000 mourners who walked with his coffin on Tuesday, sends a strong message to Prime Minister Erdogan and his administration that they should take steps to guarantee the full rights of expression in the media and other public forums.
AJC, the oldest human relations organization in the United States, has long championed Turkey as a secular and democratic state, and is concerned that Dink’s murder will stand as a blot on Turkey’s admirable progress and could hinder the country’s accession to the European Union.
”Abolishing Law 301 will be a significant step to bring Turkey into conformity with the policies of the European Union and Western democracies in guaranteeing the full rights of expression,” said Barry Jacobs, AJC’s director of strategic studies, who had met Dink on several occasions. “It is time for demagogues to stop using the theme of Turkish ‘minorities’ as political slander.”
For further information telephone or email Barry Jacobs at (202) 785-5462; jacobsb@ajc.org
