Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Action Alert : Free Father Yusuf Akbulut
by Assyrian Genocide Committee
Posted: Monday, February 19, 2001 08:24 pm CST

Apply International Media pressure on the Turkish Government in order to free Father Yusuf Akbulut.

ACT QUICKLY: COURT DATE SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 22nd.

Fr. Yusuf, now under house arrest, is charged with the notorious Clause 2 of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code, which prohibits the fomenting among the peoples of Turkey racial, religious animosities, in an upcoming February 22, 2001 trial.

Fr. Yusuf Akbulut was non violently exercising his right to not only express his own beliefs, but for also expressing historically documented fact, and is detained for expressing his beliefs contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Your help and the help of all activists is urgently requested to focus the world's media attention on this trial. Please complete the Action below and forward this to all Armenian/Assyrian/Hellenic activists on your e-mail lists.

1.E-mail, telephone, write to the local media in your city. For local media details, click on the link below. https://emedia1.mediainfo.com/

Hello,

I'd like to inform you of an International story that may interest your media organization.

Father Yusuf Akbulut, an Assyrian priest, from St. Mary's Syrian Orthodox Church in Diyarbakir, Turkey, was last year arrested for freely expressing his beliefs in a non-violent manner, by the Turkish authorities. According to a Reuters report from Oct. 5, 2000 , Fr. Yusuf was interviewed by reporters from the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, during deliberations in the U.S. Congress regarding HR 596, the Armenian Genocide Resolution.

Father Yusuf apparently affirmed the historical reality of the Armenain Genocide, as well as stating that the Assyrians were also victims of the same Genocide of 1915. Following the interview, the Hurriyet reporters printed an inflammatory article with a photograph of Fr. Yusuf holding a cross under the headline "A Traitor Amongst Us."

Fr. Yusuf, now under house arrest, is charged with the notorious Clause 2 of Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code, which prohibits the fomenting among the peoples of Turkey racial, religious animosities.

Fr. Yusuf Akbulut was non violently exercising his right to not only express his own beliefs, but for also expressing historically documented fact, and is detained for expressing his beliefs contrary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

After an initial December 21, 2000 trial, the presiding judge ordered a copy of the priest's comments, recorded on video by "Hurriyet" reporter Ramazan Oz and later aired on TV Channel D, to be submitted to the court. The footage will be examined at the next hearing, set for February 22.

Some 60 visitors crowded into the courtroom for the hour-long hearing, including at least a dozen foreigners and scores of Turkish journalists and cameramen.

The diplomatic missions of Germany, the Netherlands, the United States and Sweden all sent observers. Other representatives included members of the European, Swedish and German parliaments, a political officer from the European Union, and two German representatives of Sign of Hope, a Christian human rights advocacy group.

According to one Swedish member of parliament, 65 members of the Swedish Parliament signed a letter of inquiry about Akbulut's case that was forwarded to the Turkish government just before the trial.

Furthermore the, February 22nd, trial's importance is magnified by the recent release of the European Parliament report on Turkey's progress towards accession. Point 29 in the report specifically states;

29. Views the recent decision by the Constitutional Court on the law offering a reprieve to those who have committed press offences as a step that reinforces the rule of law; encourages the competent authorities to take this opportunity to continue their reforms in this direction, knowing that this process will logically lead them to a fundamental reconsideration of Article 312 of the Penal Code;

This trial may become one of the key points that will lead to the rejection of Turkey's membership to the EU.

I hope your media organization can cover this important case and keep your audience informed.

Thank you for you time and consideration.

Yours sincerely,
< Name >
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Background:

https://www.assyrian-genocide.org

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