TURKEY – TRIAL OVER ‘INSULTING TURKISHNESS’ AGAIN YIELDS NO EVIDENCE

Compass Direct News – The 11^th hearing of a case of alleged slander against two Turkish Christians closed just minutes after it opened this week, due to lack of any progress. Prosecutors produced no new evidence or witnesses against Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal since the last court session four months ago. Despite lack of any tangible reason to continue the stalled case, their lawyer said, the Silivri Criminal Court set still another hearing to be held on Oct. 14. “They are uselessly dragging this out,” defense lawyer Haydar Polat said moments after Judge Hayrettin Sevim closed the Tuesday (May 25) hearing. The two Protestant Christians were accused in October 2006 of slandering the Turkish nation and Islam under Article 301 of the Turkish criminal code. The prosecution has yet to provide any concrete evidence of the charges, which allegedly took place while the two men were involved in evangelistic activities in the town of Silivri. Turkish Justice Minister Sadullah Ergin this week criticized Turkish media for presenting Article 301 defendants as guilty when they were charged, before courts had heard their cases or issued verdicts. But for Tastan and Topal, Ergin’s comments were little comfort. “At this point, we are tired of this,” Tastan admitted. “If they can’t find these so-called witnesses, then the court needs to issue a verdict. After four years, it has become a joke!”