"IPI's Open Letter to the Turkish Government on Article 301
15 January 2008
H.E. Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister of Turkey
Office of the Prime Minister
Ankara, Turkey
H.E. Abdullah Gül
President of Turkey
Office of the President
Ankara, Turkey
Your Excellencies,
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in over 120 countries, would like to express its disappointment at the Turkish government’s failure to initiate reform of the criminal defamation articles laid down in the Turkish penal code, in particular article 301. As you are aware, article 301 criminalises insults to 'Turkishness' and carries a sentence of up to three years imprisonment. This article has been heavily criticised by the international community and its reform is a prerequisite to Turkey’s accession to the European Union."
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