Academic sentenced over Ataturk

[Truth Bearer]

Academic sentenced over Ataturk
By Sarah Rainsford
BBC News, Istanbul



A Turkish court has handed down a 15-month suspended jail term to an academic found guilty of insulting the state's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
Professor Attila Yayla said the trial highlighted the limits on free speech and academic debate in Turkey.

His crime was to suggest in academic discussion that the early Turkish republic was not as progressive as portrayed in official books.

His lawyers say they will lodge an immediate appeal.

The prosecutor had asked the judge to impose a five-year prison sentence.

This trial has become a test of academic freedom in Turkey, which is pursuing a long-term ambition to become an EU member.

Professor Yayla had also warned that, as Turkey moved closer to Europe, Europeans would inevitably question why Turks displayed so many pictures and statues of Ataturk.

The professor was vilified by the Turkish press, suspended from work at an Ankara university, and brought to trial.

Professor Yayla, a well-known liberal, denied the charge of insulting Ataturk and argued that academics must be guaranteed freedom of expression to pursue their research.

'Insulting Turkishness'

The Turkish parliament is preparing to debate amending another law that restricts free speech.

Article 301 on "insulting Turkishness" has been used to prosecute dozens of writers and intellectuals, including Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk.

"Many foreign observers concentrate on Article 301, but there are other laws and articles in different laws, which have the potential to restrict freedom of expression, as it is in my case," Mr Yayla told the BBC.

"I am ready for everything, whatever the result, I will keep up my work - that means that I will try to improve freedom of expression in Turkey."

The EU has been pressing for a change to the law for well over a year, but the government has faced stiff opposition from nationalists, both within the ruling party and in opposition.

But changes to the law which protects Ataturk are not up for discussion.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/h...pe/7212452.stm

Published: 2008/01/28 13:37:59 GMT

© BBC MMVIII

[Tsontos]

Originally Posted by Truth Bearer

His crime was to suggest in academic discussion that the early Turkish republic was not as progressive as portrayed in official books.

[Truth Bearer]

And this 3rd world country wants to join us in the EU I mean really!!

[Astoria]

This is the same hybrid race that fyromian slugs lean on for support. The same race that put their ancestors to the steak not to long ago.

[Truth Bearer]

fyromians are a people with no sense of belonging no past no culture no history they are trully the bastards of Europe well guess what they have joined the bastards of Asia Turkey......As the saying goes "Pes mou tous filous sou na sou po pios eise"...

[pankration]

Originally Posted by Truth Bearer

fyromians are a people with no sense of belonging no past no culture no history they are trully the bastards of Europe well guess what they have joined the bastards of Asia Turkey......As the saying goes "Pes mou tous filous sou na sou po pios eise"...

Very perceptive and unfortunately so true.