Journalist faces jail for 'insulting Turkish identity'

18.07.2005
Index on Censorship

Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink faces three years in jail for 'insulting Turkish identity'

The accusations came after his article 'Getting to know Armenia' was published in February 2004 in the Turkish-Armenian bilingual weekly Agos, which he runs. Dink claims that his call to readers that they symbolically "reject the adulterated part of their Turkish blood" was misinterpreted and taken out of context, and was never meant to cause offence to Turkish citizens. His trial began on 7 July. Press freedom organisations are concerned that the Turkish criminal code does not allow journalists to discuss sensitive issues, such as the genocide of Armenians in 1912 or the future withdrawal of Turkish troops from Cyprus.

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