Will Someone Explain Freedom of Expression to Erdogan?

In an article entitled "Reactionary Attitudes Have No Language" published in the "Cumhuriyet" newspaper on 6 May 2007, journalist Ilhan Selcuk had written:

"While America was occupying Iraq, what was it planning for Turkey? They said of the 'Moderate Islam State Model': The 'Moderate Islam Model' venture did not suit Turkey and damaged America. The worst thing was how the reactionary gang who spoke in the name of the Supreme Allah, the Holy Prophet and the Holy Qu'ran became wild when they had come to power."

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's lawyers had filed a complaint against the journalist, as Erdogan had interpreted these sentences as "an attack on personal rights, insulting and ridiculing, unfair and illegal."He had asked for 20,000 YTL in compensation.

Case dropped 

In the hearing on 25 September, judge Ahmet Metin Tözün of the Ankara 21st Civil Court of First Instance dropped the case.

This is not the first case that Erdogan has initiated against the media. He has previously sued the Cumhuriyet and Günlük Evrensel newspapers, as well as the Penguen and Leman comic papers, claiming that his "personal rights were violated".  (EÖ/NZ/AG)