content tagged with Fikret Başkaya

Facing up to 7.5 years in prison, academic and writer Fikret Başkaya has been acquitted in his third hearing today. His attorney Kanat has said, “This verdict will hopefully prevent new lawsuits against freedom of expression.”

23 freedom of expression and press organizations from 19 countries have expressed support for writer and academic Fikret Başkaya ahead of his hearing in Ankara on November 22: “Terrorist propaganda charges against him must be dismissed.”

Explaining his opinion as to the accusations, the prosecutor has requested Başkaya be penalized according to Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terror Law and a criminal complaint be filed against him for "publicly degrading the Republic of Turkey."

Writer Başkaya had his first hearing in the lawsuit filed against him for “terror propaganda” due to his article. His attorney Kanat said, “He is charged with propagandizing for an organization whose name is not mentioned in his article even for once.”

The indictment that charges Fikret Başkaya with "terror propaganda" says that "thinking is a biological act, but the expression and spreading of thought can be banned," and "There is no doubt about Kurdish citizens' rights and freedoms."

Writer and former academic Fikret Başkaya has been charged with "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" for his article titled "The Real Terror is the State Terror" which was published on the Free University.

Detained from his home in Ankara today at 6:30 a.m,.77-year-old academic and writer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fikret Başkaya was released at 11:30 a.m.