TURKISH HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST SENTENCED UNDER ARTICLE 301
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.06.2008 16:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On June 17, renowned Turkish human rights activist
Ragip Zarakolu stood trial and was sentenced to prison term of six
months under article 301.
Earlier, four eminent members of the European Parliament – Mrs
Maria Eleni Koppa and Mr Jacques Toubon, both vice-presidents of
the delegation EU-Turkey, Mr Patrick Gaubert, vice-president of
the sub-committee on Human Rights and president of Licra, Mr Ioannis
Kasoulides, former minister of Foreign Affairs and recent candidate for
the Cypriot presidency – have recently sent a letter to the Turkish
Minister of Justice, Mr Mehmet Ali Sahin, in order to inform him of
the Unions concern about developments in Ragip Zarakolu’s trial.
Mr Zarakolu is a publisher and militates for several years in favor
of Human Rights in Turkey. He is one of the founding members of the
Turkish Association for Human Rights and he forms part of those
dissidents prosecuted under 301 article for having "insulted the
State and the Republic" and "the memory of Ataturk".
Mr Zarakolu is prosecuted because he published two books on the
Armenian genocide, the founding act and the major taboo of the
Turkish state and society. One of the books deals with the rescue of
an Armenian family by Turks during the Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
