Women Activists Acquitted in Insult Case
Cubukcu had claimed Gulden Baga from Women Solidarity Foundation and Amargi Women Cooperative, Muzde O. Bilgutay, Efsa Kuraner and Liz Ercevik Amado from Women for Women's Rights- New Ways had committed the offence of "insult through the commissioning an act" after the group faxed a letter to the State Minister among other deputies, on current issues related to women's rights.
Cubukcu's lawyer Suleyman Balci informed the Ankara 10th Court of First Instance in an April 17 dated petition that the Minister would no longer pursue her charges and the April 18 hearing heard the judge agreeing with the prosecutor's argument of no criminal intent and acquitting all the defendants.
The prosecutor in the case told the court that having reviewed the case, he concluded there was no intent for insult on part of the defendants who were using their right to criticism which he referred to as "democratic expression". He demanded on behalf of the people for each defendant to be acquitted on the charges.
Saruhan: No judicial effect of Cubukcu renunciation
Attorney Senal Saruhan, representing the women organizations, said Cubukcu's renouncing of her own insult claim was a positive development in itself but that it had no serious judicial effect on the court in a public case.
She said the women's organizations had been following changes in the Turkish Penal Code for the past 10 years and that they had sought amendment to article 10 of the Turkish Constitution but the requested change was never made.
"In this way, the fax that was sent to Cubukcu was nothing more than part of the efforts to create positive discrimination. It was criticism and it had no intent to insult," she said. (AD/II/YE)