21/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - After a certain amount of internal prevarication (EUROPE 9576), the Turkish government will, “in the next few days”, present the Parliament with a draft amendment on the controversial law on freedom of expression (“article 301” law), which the European Union would like to see removed or amended as quickly as possible. The law in question, which refers to article 301 of the Turkish criminal code (aiming to severely repress any and all attacks on the Turkish identity) is regularly used by the Turkish justice system in order to pursue writers or journalists. In view of the EU, this law seriously infringes the freedom of expression in Turkey. “The text is ready. Within the next few days, the amendment will be put to the President of the Parliament. We intend to vote on it by the end of the month”, Turkish Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin, announced, as reported by Reuters. (H.B.)