"Turkey amends article envisaging punishment for insulting Turkish identity
[ 08 Apr 2008 17:24 ]
Ankara – APA. Turkish ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party is going to amend Article 301 of Turkish Penal Code.
APA reports quoting Turkish media that according to the amendment that will be submitted to the Parliament, the crime of 'insulting the Turkish identity' is re-characterized as insulting the 'Turkish nation', maximum possible punishment is reduced from three years to two years in prison, and any Article 301 prosecution requires the President’s approval. According to the proposed amendment, prosecutors can launch criminal case on Article 301 only with President’s permission, not on their own initiatives or basing on citizens’ complaints. Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) protested to AKP’s initiative. Leader of MHP Devlet Bahceli said that raising the issue would be AKP’s political failure."
More:APA
