Hello, I Request 301 to be Abolished

Initiative for Freedom Expression leads meeting in Gezi Park using mobile phones to call and SMS MPs asking for article 301 of and Anti-Terror Law to be abolished. Most deputies reject incoming calls while some promise to look into the matter.

Emine Özcan

Non governmental organizations, opposition parties and democratic mass movements gathering under the banner of the Initiative Against Thought Crimes (aka Initiative for Freedom of Expression) marked Turkey's "Press Freedom Day" on July 24 Monday with a 15 minute campaign using mobile phones to call and SMS Turkish MPs asking for article 301 of Penal Code and all anti-democratic articles of the new Anti-Terror Law to be abolished.

Starting just after noon on the day marking the 98th anniversary of the abolishment of censorship in Turkey in 1908, both activists and politicians joined hands with voters to address their demands to their elected MPs.

The campaign, supported by the Democratic Society Party (DTP), Initiative for Freedom of Expression, Labour Party (EMEP), Helsinki Citizens Association (HYD), Human Rights Organization (IHD), Public Workers Unions Confederation (KESK), the Foundation for Human Rights and Solidarity with the Oppressed (MAZLUMDER), Ankara Ozgur [Free[ University and Socialist Democracy Platform, relayed a single message requesting "the lifting of article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and abolishment of all anti-democratic articles of the Anti Terror Law".

Most deputies rejected incoming calls while some promised to look into the requests but even those MPs who did not answer, received the request in SMS form.

The campaign group including SDP chair Filiz Kocali, Platform of Solidarity with Journalists Under Arrest spokesman Necati Abay and the Initiative's Sanar Yurdatapan had problems in reaching some of the deputies directly which prompted messages to be sent instead.

SDP chair Kocali, however, managed to reach Interior Minister Abdulkadir Aksu's assistant on his phone and was informed, "we received your note, we will look into it".

Abay said he managed to get through to ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP Guldal Aksit adding, "today it is the anniversary of the lifting of censorship but we still have colleagues in prison. We request all relevant legislation to be abolished".

Nejat Yildiz who managed to get through to MP Kemal Unakitan told those around him at the meeting afterwards, "He slammed the phone down in my face. I condemn him as a voter".

Osman Secil from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) called deputy Berhan Simsek and voiced his request for ongoing operations in Southeast Turkey to be brought to an end, and an be brought to the funerals coming out of the region".

Other than at Taksim Gezi Park, the mobile phone action was held in front of the University entrance at Beyazit and on the Anatolian side of the city in Kadikoy. A simultaneous phoning campaign was launched also in the cities of Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Diyarbakir, Mersin, Malatya, Adana, Canakkale, Konya, Kayseri, Sanliurfa, Gaziantep and Berlin. (EZO/TK/II/YE)