Novelist Altan Acquitted in 2 Cases out of 4

Altan and Tunali, who were tried with article 159 of the Turkish Penal Code, were acquitted of two charges. However, the other two trials were postponed once again because the General Staff did not give a response about the "Andic Document."

Cayligil: If they don't respond, we will ask for a decision

Layer Gulcin Cayligil said she did not expect a response from the General Staff. "There will be no answer. Next time, we will ask the court to forego its demand and make a decision."

Journalists acquitted on two charges

Journalist Altan was acquitted on two charges. He had been tried on July 12. The court found that Altan's activities were within the "freedom of expression and dissemination" overseen by article 26 of the Constitution and acquitted the journalists.

The journalists stood trial because of two articles, "From Sarikamis to the Mediterranean," published in the July 22-28, 2000 edition of "Aktuel" magazine, and "The Nights There," published on February 22, 2001. Altan and Tunali were charged with "insulting military forces."

With the two acquittals, cases against Aktuel magazine writer Ahmet Altan and director Murat Tunali opened for charges of "insulting military forces," were reduced to two.

The two "Andic" cases continue

Altan and Tunali were taken to court for an article about the "Andic Document." "Andic," a document prepared by the General Staff in 1998, accused some journalists and political parties for being Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) partisans. "Judge these generals, unveil these writers," was the title of the article published in Aktuel magazine's November 9-15, 2000

edition.

The other case about the "Andic Document," was brought against the journalists for an article titled, "All the generals in Turkey, go back to your barracks," published in the December 14-20, 2000 edition of the same magazine. The journalists are being charged with "insulting military forces," in this case too.

The court was unable to get a response from the General Staff regarding the "Andic Document." The trial was postponed to December 27, 2002.

Lawyer Gulcin Cayligil said she was not expecting an answer from the General Staff.

"There will be no answer. Next time, we will ask the court to forego its demand and make a decision," she added.

The cases that resulted in acquittals

An Istanbul court acquitted the journalists on July 2, 2001, of "insulting the government's spiritual individuality, and the military and security forces of the state."

The case was brought against the journalists for an article called, "Political Adultery and Murder," published in Aktuel magazine.

The journalists were also charged with "insulting military forces," by writing and publishing an article called "Being Scared One Morning." Published on April 20, 2001. An Istanbul court acquitted them on December 2001.

The court found that the article did not include any insults, and the content was just critical of the military.

Ahmet Altan*

Borned in 1950, graduated from the Faculty of Administrative Sciences at Istanbul University. Currently he works as a columnist. Novels: Dort Mevsim Sonbahar (Four Seasons Autumn -- winner of the 1983 Academy Bookstore Novel Award), Sudaki Iz (Trace in the Water /1985), Yalnizligin Ozel Tarihi (Private History of Loneliness/1991), Kilic Yarasi Gibi(Like a Sword Injury/1998), .Aldatmak (Adultary /2002)

* Contemporary Turkish Literature: www.turkish-lit.boun.edu.tr