Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
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PRESS RELEASE
January 18, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
CONGRESSMAN CROWLEY URGES CONGRESS TO HONOR DINK’S MEMORY BY SUPPORTING
REPEAL OF ARTICLE 301
Washington, DC – Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-NY) yesterday urged Congress to
honor the memory of slain journalist and human rights activist, Hrant
Dink, by supporting the immediate repeal of Article 301 of the Turkish
penal code.
The much-criticized law used to curb freedom of speech and criminalize
public discussion on the Armenian Genocide is widely believed to have
led to Dink’s assassination in broad daylight on an Istanbul street on
January 19, 2007.
"Many informed observers believe Hrant Dink’s prosecution under Article
301 opened him up to a campaign of harassment and death threats from
ultranationalists, which eventually led to his murder," said Crowley.
"To this day, citizens of Turkey live under threat of this gag law, with
Hrant Dink’s own son prosecuted under this law because he reprinted his
father’s newspaper article." [See text of Crowley’s remarks in the House
of Representatives below.]
"This is not the action of a true democracy," he continued. "It is
reflective of how a totalitarian state would behave, and this is not the
Turkey we, the United States of America, have aligned our country with."
Last January, Crowley introduced legislation (H. Res. 102) which
condemned Dink’s murder, honored his legacy and called on Turkey to take
appropriate action to protect freedom of speech by repealing Article
301. The resolution is currently pending in the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.
"With no demonstrable steps taken to abolish Article 301 a year after
Hrant Dink’s murder, it is clear that Armenians and other minorities are
still at risk in Turkey," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. "We therefore commend Congressman Crowley for spearheading
this legislation and urge its timely adoption. Passage of H. Res. 102
will pay lasting tribute to Dink’s legacy of tolerance and send a clear
message that the United States does not stand for repression of free
speech."
The Assembly remains committed to honoring Hrant Dink’s memory and
legacy. For more on Dink, including background information, official
statements and media reports, please visit the Hrant Dink Resource Page
on the Assembly’s Website at
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt
membership organization.
NR#2008-003
Editor’s Note: Below is the full text of Congressman Crowley’s remarks
on the floor of the House of Representatives.
SPEECH OF
HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY
OF NEW YORK
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2008
Madam Speaker, I rise today to solemnly remember the life of journalist
and activist Hrant Dink.
On January 19, 2007, Mr. Dink was gunned down by a Turkish
ultranationalist outside his newspaper office in Istanbul, Turkey.
Hrant Dink was a man who called for tolerance, peaceful dialogue, and
greater civil rights for all Turkish citizens. He was a fierce defender
of freedom and believed all people have equal rights under the law. He
believed that everyone should have the right to know the truth about
their Nation’s past, however dark that past may be.
Hrant Dink had been prosecuted by the Turkish Government under penal
code 301, a law that bans free speech and was used to suppress a wide
range of dissenting opinion, from criticism of Turkish Government
institutions to opposing official Turkish denial of the Ottoman campaign
of genocide against its Armenian population. Under the all-encompassing
phrase "insulting Turkishness," a citizen in Turkey can receive a prison
sentence of up to 3 years with the offense being increased by 50 percent
if the so-called offense is committed abroad.
Nearly 100 journalists and intellectuals have been prosecuted under
article 301, including Nobel Prize author Orhan Pamuk. Many informed
observers believe Hrant Dink’s prosecution under article 301 opened him
up to a campaign of harassment and death threats from ultranationalists,
which eventually led to his murder. To this day, citizens of Turkey live
under threat of this gag law, with Hrant Dink’s own son prosecuted under
this law because he reprinted his father’s newspaper articles.
This is not the action of a true democracy. It is reflective of how a
totalitarian state would behave, and this is not the Turkey we, the
United States of America, have aligned our country with.
Amnesty International has called for a complete repeal of this punitive
legislation. The European Commission has repeatedly asked for its
repeal.
Unfortunately, indications now suggest that the Government of Turkey is
only tinkering with changes, making this gag rule even more ambiguous.
Today, I ask the House to support calls for the Turkish Government to
immediately repeal article 301.
One year ago, Members of Congress, their staffers and several members,
and members of several communities, came together to watch "Screamers,"
a film about genocide in the last century, featuring, among others,
Hrant Dink . Here, in the Halls of Congress, we watched as Hrant Dink
discussed the problems of article 301.
Just 2 days after the film’s premiere, Hrant Dink was shot dead, a man
who only wanted to speak the truth about historical facts as he saw
them, a man who wanted every citizen to be treated equally, a man we
should applaud here in America for his courage and dedication to
democracy.
I believe that if Turkey wants to further explore the opportunities that
she wishes to do within the present European Union, she must address the
issue of article 301. I hope my colleagues will join me in honoring the
memory of Hrant Dink and continue to urge the repeal of article 301.
-end-