"Turkey - E.U. Jpc Co-president Lagendijk Due To Turkey
Published: 2/4/2006
BRUSSELS - Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission (JPC) Co-President Joost Lagendijk will arrive in Turkey at the weekend to watch the trial of five journalists.
Releasing a statement, Dutch parliamentarian Lagendijk called on Turkish authorities to drop charges against journalists Hasan Cemal, Ismet Berkan, Murat Belge, Haluk Sahin and Erol Katircioglu, and to make some changes in the new Turkish Penal Code.
Lagendijk said that nationalist lawyers had been trying to restrict the freedom of expression by making use of conservative laws.
The journalists are accused of attempting to affect independent jurisdiction and insulting the state's judicial organs (in the case against Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk).
If convicted, they can face imprisonment terms from 6 months and 10 years.
The Bagcilar district Criminal Court in Istanbul will hear the journalists as of February 7th, 2006."
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