Dutch MFA concerned over prosecution of Turkish writer because of his statements on Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Mr. Maxim Verhagen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, has asked his Turkish colleague for clarification on the decision of the Turkish Minister of Justice to give permission to prosecute writer Temel Demirer, Federation of Armenian Organizations in Netherlands (FAON) told PanARMENIAN.Net



This is indicated in answers of Mr. Verhagen to written questions submitted on 26 September 2008 by the Dutch Parliament. The questions were presented by Members of four factions in Dutch Parliament, namely the Christian Union, the CDA (Christian Democrats), the SGP (Political Reformed Party) and the VVD (Liberal Party) after a report by the Federation of Armenian Organizations in Netherlands (FAON) that Mr. Demirer was being prosecuted because of his statements on the Armenian Genocide.



Mr. Verhagen has also expressed his concern publicly during a speech in the Bosphorus Conference on the lack of progress by Turkey in, among others, sphere of the freedom of expression. He has pointed to a clear relationship of this state of affairs with the application of Article 301. Mr. Verhagen notifies in his response that Turkish Minister of Justice has so far issued permission for prosecution in 44 out of 311 cases, which have been laid before him. The majority of them are cases which were under adjudication before the amendment of Article 301. The arguments that the Turkish government puts forth for the issuance of permission to persecute these 44 cases are as yet not known. Mr. Verhagen is due to be informed further about this.



In addition, Mr. Verhagen asserts in his answers that the application of Article 301 shall stringently be dealt with in the appreciation that Netherlands is going to give on the Progress Report due to be published shortly by the European Commission in connection with Turkey. Netherlands will also keep a strict watch so that the European norms and conditions are compiled with if the chapters on "Judicial power and the Fundamental Freedoms" (Chapter 23) and "Justice, Freedom and Security" (Chapter 24) will come up for discussion in the framework of EU accession negotiations. This applies to the political dialogue as well.



The statements by Mr. Demirer were made during a commemorative service after the murder of Hrant Dink in 2007, when he said that Dink had to pay with his life for speaking the truth about the Armenian Genocide. Dink was killed by a Turkish nationalist after he had been condemned by court on the basis of Article 301 because of his statements on the Armenian Genocide.