(WiPC/IFEX) – On 25 March 2002, WiPC reported that the hearing of the “FoX 2000” case was scheduled for 26 March. Six writers are among the fifteen individuals expected to appear in court to hear the continuing trial against them for their collective publication of a book entitled “FoX 2000” (“Freedom of Expression 2000”). International […]
(WiPC/IFEX) – On 25 March 2002, WiPC reported that the hearing of the “FoX 2000” case was scheduled for 26 March. Six writers are among the fifteen individuals expected to appear in court to hear the continuing trial against them for their collective publication of a book entitled “FoX 2000” (“Freedom of Expression 2000”). International PEN believes that the prosecution of the FoX defendants reveals the extent to which Turkish legislation is used to suppress legitimate commentary on issues ranging from minority rights to allegations of corruption. The organisation called for the dropping of the judicial proceedings against the FoX group and for a review of the laws under which they are being tried, so as to remit from any future prosecutions of writers and publishers in violation of their right to freedom of expression.
The book, entitled “FoX 2000” (Freedom of Expression 2000), contains sixty articles in breach of four separate laws that penalise free speech. Part of a campaign started in 1995 to challenge the numerous laws that suppress free speech in Turkey, this is just one of a number of publications that these and other writers have agreed to support in an action aimed at highlighting the situation and challenging the judicial system. Four courts are hearing cases related to “FoX 2000” articles: the State Security Court, the Military Court, the Heavy Criminal Court that deals with high profile crimes and the Asliye Ceza Criminal Court that deals with lesser offences. The 26 March hearing will be before the State Security Court in Istanbul under Article 162 of the Turkish Penal Code that penalises the publication of an article that is itself in breach of the law.
Hearings were first held in February 2001 and resulted in acquittals. However, on 18 June, the acquittals of all but one of the sixteen accused were reversed. Trial restarted on 19 October and is scheduled to continue on 26 March.
Among those expected to be present at the courts will be: Yavuz Önen, president of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey; Cengiz Bektaþ, president of the Writers’ Union of Turkey; Mehmet Atilla Maras, former president of the Islamic Writers’ Union; Erdal Öz, writer and publisher; Etyen Mahçupyan, writer and journalist; Sanar Yurdatapan, composer and leader of the FoX campaign.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– expressing concern at the large number of trials against writers and journalists in violation of their rights to freedom of expression
– referring particularly to the trial taking place against the “FoX 2000” campaigners
– calling for an end to the prosecution of writers whose only acts have been to criticise the authorities or to comment on the issues of minority rights and self-determination
Appeals To
Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit
Basbakanlik
Cankaya
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476
His Excellency Hikmet Sami Turk
Minister of Justice
Adalet Bakaligi
06440 Bakaniklar
Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 395
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
