February 4, 2009 - 14:43 AMT
Turkey protests court ruling to drop accusations of Armenian apology campaign initiators
A group of Turkish citizens have raised objection to a court decision rejecting a demand for criminal prosecution of initiators of the Armenian apology campaign, Anatolian Agency reports.

The office of the Ankara Public Prosecutor earlier this month launched an investigation into the issue after submission of a petition demanding the organizers of the apology campaign be charged of "insulting the Turkish nation" under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

Completing its investigation, the prosecutor's office in Ankara last week dropped the case, what aroused indignation because "the organizers were not even questioned."

Some 30 thousand people have already signed the petition which reads, "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Calamity that befell the Ottoman Armenians in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them.".