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TURKEY SENTENCES ARMENIAN BLOGGER TO JAIL
NaharNet, Lebanon
Dec 13 2013
A prominent Turkish-Armenian blogger accused a Turkish court on Friday
of issuing a "politically-motivated" verdict after being sentenced
to jail on charges of illegal construction.
An appeals court in the western coastal city of Izmir sentenced
Sevan Nisanyan to two years in prison on charges of building without
a permit.
An Istanbul court in May had also sentenced Nisanyan, a self-confessed
atheist, to one year in jail for blasphemy over a blog post supporting
the controversial anti-Islam film "Innocence of Muslims" but he has
appealed the verdict.
Nisanyan, who also faces up to 16 years in prison on other charges
related to construction work on his hotels in the village of Sirince
near Izmir, said he would be sent to jail next week.
But in a country littered with illegal constructions, he said the
court ruling on Thursday was punishment for his outspoken views about
restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey.
"It is politically motivated because in this community, those who
try to be an individual and stand firm on their ideas have always
been punished," he told AFP.
Nisanyan, 56, turned Sirince into a booming holiday spot after he
bought several ruined Greek houses and turned them into hotels.
Thousands of people from around the world flocked to Sirince in
December 2012, believing the village -- where many Christians say
the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven -- would be spared from the Mayan
doomsday.
Nisanyan was convicted of blasphemy over his September 2012 blog
defending the anti-Islam film that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed
and sparked angry protests across the world.
"Mocking an Arab leader who centuries ago claimed to have contacted
God and made political, financial and sexual benefits out of this is
not a crime of hatred," he wrote.
His words touched a nerve in the staunchly secular but majority
Muslim nation and he received hundreds of death threats after the
court decision.
Turkey has long been criticized for a lack of press freedom and
dozens of journalists are in detention, accused of plotting against
the Islamist-rooted government or having links with outlawed movements
such as the Kurdish rebels.
From: Baghdasarian
NaharNet, Lebanon
Dec 13 2013
A prominent Turkish-Armenian blogger accused a Turkish court on Friday
of issuing a "politically-motivated" verdict after being sentenced
to jail on charges of illegal construction.
An appeals court in the western coastal city of Izmir sentenced
Sevan Nisanyan to two years in prison on charges of building without
a permit.
An Istanbul court in May had also sentenced Nisanyan, a self-confessed
atheist, to one year in jail for blasphemy over a blog post supporting
the controversial anti-Islam film "Innocence of Muslims" but he has
appealed the verdict.
Nisanyan, who also faces up to 16 years in prison on other charges
related to construction work on his hotels in the village of Sirince
near Izmir, said he would be sent to jail next week.
But in a country littered with illegal constructions, he said the
court ruling on Thursday was punishment for his outspoken views about
restrictions on freedom of expression in Turkey.
"It is politically motivated because in this community, those who
try to be an individual and stand firm on their ideas have always
been punished," he told AFP.
Nisanyan, 56, turned Sirince into a booming holiday spot after he
bought several ruined Greek houses and turned them into hotels.
Thousands of people from around the world flocked to Sirince in
December 2012, believing the village -- where many Christians say
the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven -- would be spared from the Mayan
doomsday.
Nisanyan was convicted of blasphemy over his September 2012 blog
defending the anti-Islam film that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed
and sparked angry protests across the world.
"Mocking an Arab leader who centuries ago claimed to have contacted
God and made political, financial and sexual benefits out of this is
not a crime of hatred," he wrote.
His words touched a nerve in the staunchly secular but majority
Muslim nation and he received hundreds of death threats after the
court decision.
Turkey has long been criticized for a lack of press freedom and
dozens of journalists are in detention, accused of plotting against
the Islamist-rooted government or having links with outlawed movements
such as the Kurdish rebels.
From: Baghdasarian