Duff welcomes dropping of Pamuk Trial

11.27.29am GMT Mon 23rd Jan 2006

Andrew Duff MEP, Vice-President of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee and a member of the Parliament's official delegation to observe the Pamuk trial, has welcomed the ending of the judicial procedure. In a statement today, Duff says:

"The Minister of Justice is right to rule that the allegations against Orhan Pamuk are not valid under the revised Turkish Constitution. All friends of Turkey should rejoice that Mr Pamuk is exonerated.

"However, Rule 301 of the Constitution clearly gives rise to confusion. Further revision of this and other clauses looks necessary in order to ensure that all ambiguity about freedom of opinion, and expression of that opinion, is removed. If Turkey is to become a member of the European Union intellectual and political freedom must be able to flourish under the rule of laws democratically arrived at.

"Mr Pamuk's accusers would take Turkey back into its authoritarian past. It is good that they have been confounded.

"Now similar cases against other intellectuals, notably Mr Hrant Dink, should be dropped forthwith."

ENDS/...