(07/04/05) Turkije - Groenen vragen bescherming vrijheid van meningsuiting

• 2005-04-08

Writer Pamuk threatened following comments about Turkey's past:
Greens ask Erdogan to step up efforts to defend free speech

Members of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament have written to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and urged him to better protect freedom of expression in Turkey. Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Joost Lagendijk and Cem Özdemir were motivated to write the letter by a recent hate campaign towards prominent novelist Orhan Pamuk. Turkey's best selling novelist has been threatened and defamed since making remarks in an interview with a Swiss newspaper about the lack of public acknowledgement of the past killings of Armenians and Kurds in Turkey. Pamuk's books have since been destroyed and pictures of him defaced.

In the letter the Green MEPs criticise the violent and heated atmosphere that has been instigated and orchestrated by biased media reports and political forces. They also condemn what appears to be a campaign against dissenting voices, and call for Prime Minister Erdogan to do more to protect the fundamental rights of Turkish citizens to speak freely and openly discuss difficult issues.

Joost Lagendijk, is the Chair and Cem Özdemir is a member of the Parliament's Turkey Delegation, and Daniel Cohn-Bendit is Co-President of the Greens/EFA Group.

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Text of the letter to Erdogan

April 07, 2005

His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

We are long-term supporters of Turkey's integration into the European family of nations and of her accession to the EU. It was the Greens/EFA that launched the 'Evet'-campaign when the Parliament voted on Turkey's future EU membership. We are convinced about your personal and your government's commitment to the initiated reforms and the further change towards European standards.

This said, we cannot help but being concerned about some recent developments in your country. These are particularly worrisome in respect to the freedom of expression. This fundamental democratic right has been put in jeopardy in several cases.

We are especially alarmed about the defamation of our friend, the world-famous novelist Orhan Pamuk. He finds himself threatened and defamed; his books have been destroyed, his image has been defaced in public. This violent and heated atmosphere has been instigated and furthered by certain media and their biased reporting as well as orchestrating political forces. This appears to result in an open campaign against dissenting voices.

Orhan Pamuk has committed no crime. He has simply exercised his fundamental right as a citizen to speak freely and openly address issues currently in discussion in your country. The following public and media reactions are unacceptable and unworthy of a democratic and free country, which Turkey aspires to be.

We are sure you share our considerations. Therefore we urge you to act so that writers like Orhan Pamuk, as well as journalists and caricaturists are no longer threatened and prevented from contributing to Turkey's rich cultural life. We ask for your help and immediate action to restore his and their security in Turkey.

Sincerely,

Daniel Cohn-Bendit
Joost Lagendijk
Cem Özdemir