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ERDOGAN HAS GROWN FOND OF LEGISLATING ISLAMIC MORALITY - JOURNALIST
June 6, 2013 - 15:41 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Last autumn, several people very close to the prime
minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] started pontificating loudly on the
need for a "Hate Speech Law" curtailing disrespect of religious values,
journalist Sevan Nisanyan said.
"Prime Minister Erdogan has grown fond of legislating Islamic morality
on issues like abortion, adultery, alcoholic drinks, religious
education, and blasphemy. I thought it was a cheap shot to equate
"hate speech" with "anti-Islamic speech," and I felt somebody must
stand up and say this.
In February 2012, tens of thousands of people gathered in Taksim Square
in Istanbul for anti-Armenian protests. Some of the signs and slogans
included, "You are all Armenians, you are all bastards." Among the
speakers at the rally was Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin.
I don't believe anyone has ever been prosecuted in Turkey for
advocating the murder, mayhem, or massacre of Armenians, Jews, Kurds,
atheists, gays, or liberals. Thousands, on the other hand, were
prosecuted and convicted in the past for "insulting Turkishness" under
the notorious Article 301 of the penal code. Now, "insulting Islam"
seems to be replacing that old juggernaut as a favorite instrument
to hit dissidents with," The Armenian Weekly quoted Nisanyan as saying.
From: A. Papazian
June 6, 2013 - 15:41 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Last autumn, several people very close to the prime
minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] started pontificating loudly on the
need for a "Hate Speech Law" curtailing disrespect of religious values,
journalist Sevan Nisanyan said.
"Prime Minister Erdogan has grown fond of legislating Islamic morality
on issues like abortion, adultery, alcoholic drinks, religious
education, and blasphemy. I thought it was a cheap shot to equate
"hate speech" with "anti-Islamic speech," and I felt somebody must
stand up and say this.
In February 2012, tens of thousands of people gathered in Taksim Square
in Istanbul for anti-Armenian protests. Some of the signs and slogans
included, "You are all Armenians, you are all bastards." Among the
speakers at the rally was Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin.
I don't believe anyone has ever been prosecuted in Turkey for
advocating the murder, mayhem, or massacre of Armenians, Jews, Kurds,
atheists, gays, or liberals. Thousands, on the other hand, were
prosecuted and convicted in the past for "insulting Turkishness" under
the notorious Article 301 of the penal code. Now, "insulting Islam"
seems to be replacing that old juggernaut as a favorite instrument
to hit dissidents with," The Armenian Weekly quoted Nisanyan as saying.
From: A. Papazian