Journalist Prosecuted for Criticism

Ersen Korkmaz, columnist and editor of local daily "Demokrat Iskenderun" in southern province of Hatay's Iskenderun district is prosecuted for his column on 10 Nov. 2000, titled: "Amerikan Kazığı" (American swindle). The local public prosecutor charges Korkmaz with insulting "the government's spritual identity." The case will be heard on Sep. 25, 2001.

Korkmaz is indicted with violating Article 159 of Turkish Penal Code. He faces 18 months in jail,should the court decide Korkmaz guilty.

Korkmaz's article, "Amerikan Kazığı" (American swindle), criticizes Turkey's foreign policy in the face of adoption of a draft bill on Armenian Genocide by the International Relations Committee, of the USA Congress.

The local prosecutor Ilhan Basturk charges the journalist with"surpassing conventional limits of criticism", and insulting Turkish Government's foreign policy lines and libeling the government with racism.

The indictment quotes one of the passages in Korkmaz's as evidence: "The adoption of the draft bill on Armenian Genocide by the International Relations Committee, of the US Congress leads to a major crisis in Turkey's foreign policy. It is highly unlikely that Turkey's rulers might recover out of the crisis so easily as the government's racist and assimilationist policies are a major roadblock on their way out."

In his defence against the charges journalist Ersen Kormaz told local prosecutor that his aim was not insulting the Turkish government: "I have criticized the USA Congress who has urged for adoption of this draft bill on the Armenian Genocide against Turkey. I have defended Turkey's independence this can not be a crime ," he told. (EO/HK/EK)