Temel Demirer Information
" writer. 1) Reported in January 2008 to be standing trial before the Ankara Penal Court of First Instance under Article 216 (inciting enmity) and Article 301 (insult to the state) for a speech against the January 2007 murder of Hrant Dink in which he said “I invite all here to commit a crime. Yes, there was an Armenian genocide in this country.” And then urged Turkish intellectuals that if they did not themselves commit “this crime of 301 301 times” they too could be accomplices to the murder of Hrant Dink. A hearing held 15 May 2008 resulted in the court forwarding the case to the Ministry of Justice following ammendments to Article 301 put in place in April 2008. In early September 2008, the Ministry granted approval and the case opened in November 2008. Concern was expressed in November 2008 about comments made by the then Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Sahin in declaring the decision to proceed by stating that Demirer had made statements calling the Turkish state “murderous” and thus should be exempt from freedom of expression protection. Observers are concerned that such statements are tantamount to proclaiming guilt and could bring Demirer to the attention of extremists who threaten and attack those who refer to an Armenian genocide. Demirer’s request to have the Minister of Justice’s decision annulled as being interference in the independence of the judiciary was heard on 12 May 2009 and its outcome to be announced later. Next hearing of Demirer’s case will be on 14 September 2011. 2) In late May 2009, Demirer was sentenced to 5 months in prison in a second trial under Anti Terror Law Article 7/2 for a speech by Demirer deemed to be propaganda for an illegal organisation. He is free on appeal. PEN is seeking an update."
Temel Demirer Information
" writer. 1) Reported in January 2008 to be standing trial before the Ankara Penal Court of First Instance under Article 216 (inciting enmity) and Article 301 (insult to the state) for a speech against the January 2007 murder of Hrant Dink in which he said “I invite all here to commit a crime. Yes, there was an Armenian genocide in this country.” And then urged Turkish intellectuals that if they did not themselves commit “this crime of 301 301 times” they too could be accomplices to the murder of Hrant Dink. A hearing held 15 May 2008 resulted in the court forwarding the case to the Ministry of Justice following ammendments to Article 301 put in place in April 2008. In early September 2008, the Ministry granted approval and the case opened in November 2008. Concern was expressed in November 2008 about comments made by the then Minister of Justice Mehmet Ali Sahin in declaring the decision to proceed by stating that Demirer had made statements calling the Turkish state “murderous” and thus should be exempt from freedom of expression protection. Observers are concerned that such statements are tantamount to proclaiming guilt and could bring Demirer to the attention of extremists who threaten and attack those who refer to an Armenian genocide. Demirer’s request to have the Minister of Justice’s decision annulled as being interference in the independence of the judiciary was heard on 12 May 2009 and its outcome to be announced later. Next hearing of Demirer’s case will be on 14 September 2011. 2) In late May 2009, Demirer was sentenced to 5 months in prison in a second trial under Anti Terror Law Article 7/2 for a speech by Demirer deemed to be propaganda for an illegal organisation. He is free on appeal. PEN is seeking an update."