Acquittal after Criticising Military Operations

Özgür Ulas Kaplan, president of the Tunceli Bar Association, and Hüseyin Tunc, province chairperson of the Labour Party (EMEP), have been acquitted after criticising the increase in military operations in the region in a programme on the Kurdish satellite channel Roj TV. Roj TV is broadcast from Denmark and Turkey has repeatedly called for its closure.

Up to 7.5 years demanded

Tunc and Kaplan had been tried under Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terorrism Law and up to seven and a half years imprisonment had been demanded. Kaplan expressed satisfaction at their acquittal:

"The decision is positive. In any case, there should be no complaints filed for such speeches. Because I did not spread the propaganda of any organisation in my speech and did not incite to violence. They were words within the framework of the freedom of expression."

Call for economic, democratic and social programmes

The Malatya Heavy Penal Court acquitted the defendants at the third hearing on 16 August, arguing that there were no elements of a crime. The defendants were absent at the hearing.

In late 2006, several political party and municipality representatives held a press briefing, at the end of which Kaplan and Tunc spoke to Roj TV per telephone, expressing their desire for military operations in the are to stop.

Kaplan told Roj TV about the clashes in Tunceli. He said that the years of military management had not brought any results, and had expressed the need for economic, democratic and social programmes.

Anti-Terrorism Law amended

According to amendments made on 29 June 2006, Article 7/2 of the Anti-Terrorism Law calls for a heavier punishment: "A person spreading propaganda for a terrorist organisation will be punished with between one and five years imprisonment.

Should the crime be committed using the press or the media, the punishment is increased by half. In addition, press and media owners and others responsible will be fined with a daily fine from 1,000 to 10,000 days. For those responsible in broadcasting and publishing , the upper limit is 5,000 days." (EÖ/AG)