Turkey eases law on free speech

Article reports that Turkey’s parliament approved changes to a controversial free-speech law, 30 April 2008, in a move to satisfy the European Union and domestic civil rights groups.
The Parliament amended Article 301 of the Penal Code to make it more difficult to prosecute people for 'insulting Turkishness' – a measure designed to protect state institutions and the republic itself from what nationalists would regard as undue criticism or attack.

BBC News, 30.4.08: EU hails Turkey free speech move http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7375327.stm

Deutsche Welle, 30.4.08: Turkey Alters Law Curtailing Free Speech http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3302161,00.html

EU Presidency: Press Release, 30.4.08: EU Presidency statement on the changes in Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code http://www.eu2008.si/en/News_and_Documents/Press_Releases/April/0430MZZ-izjava-Turcija.html

Wikipedia: Article 301 (Turkish penal code) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_301_(Turkish_penal_code)

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