Thursday, May 01, 2008

Turkish freedoms reform criticised as inadequate

"Turkish freedoms reform criticised as inadequate

Turkey's writers and political activists say an attempt by parliament to increase freedom of speech in the country does not go far enough.

The crime of 'insulting Turkishness' is being removed from the penal code after being used to prosecute hundreds of writers. However Turkish deputies have opted to keep the punishment of up to two years in jail for anyone who insults Turkey as a nation. Parliament voted by five to one in favour of the revision. Only the Nationalists were strongly against it, accusing the government of pandering to the European Union."

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