29 Mart 2013 Cuma

INVITATION TO MEETING

 
January 20th 2007… The morrow of the ignoble killing of Hrant Dink. Temel Demirer is talking during a demonstration organized in Ankara in protest of the murder: “Hrant was not slain for being an Armenian. He was murdered because he had the courage to talk openly about the Armenian genocide. This state is guilty of genocide. This state is a criminal. It killed Hrant. To be silent is to take part in this crime. I am calling all of you to commit the crime of violating the 301th article of the Turkish penal code…”
What followed is not unexpected. A suit was brought against Demirer with the charge of having violated the articles  301/2 and 216 of the Turkish Penal Code. The charge is well-known: “Insulting Turkishness” and “stating opinion against the official Turkish version of history” …
 As is known, the case which lasted six years, and which has become all the more complicated with the palliative rectifications of the party in power, ended in a “conditional postponement of penalty” as was anticipated in the “third package of amendment of the judicial regime”, against all the objections of Demirer and his defenders who were claiming “either condemnation or acquittal”.  The case was suspended with the condition that the culprit refrain from committing the same “crime” for three years!
But this show of “magnanimous forgiveness” would not last long. Temel Demirer, in leaving the courtroom, voiced the same opinions at the front door of the Palace of Justice and claimed his “crime”.  A new investigation would not delay…
It is highly probable that Temel Demirer will again be brought in front of the tribune as a “criminal of conscioussness”.  This event provides us all with a new opportunity to ponder upon and decipher the opportunistic stance of the party in power regarding the “official ideology” and “the freedom of thought and expression”. The political power of advanced democracy is revealing its non-abdication of the official ideology to which it strives to create the image of being opposed; its determination to continue to wave the “crime of conscioussness” on top of its opponents as the sword of Democles. The mere pronounciation of the Armenian genocide reveals the limits of the “democratic openings”…
The Ankara Initiative for Freedom of Thought, The Green and Left Future Party and the Committee of Freedom of Publishing of PEN are organizing a meeting to discuss these topics. Ragıp Zarakolu, Vangelis Kechriotis and Sait Çetinoğlu will take the floor in the meeting at which Temel Demirer will be a guest.
All those sensitive to “freedom of thought and expression” are invited.

Meeting date: 1.4.2013
Time:18.00
Meeting place: Cezayir Konferans Salonu
Address: Hayriye cad. no: 16
Galatasaray/İstanbul