TURKEY: FREE-SPEECH ISSUE REMAINS A SENSITIVE SUBJECT
Under ordinary circumstances, Mehmet Tursun’s emotional outburst probably would have been overlooked, given that he suspects police of trying to cover up the fact they had shot his son for failing to stop his car for an identity check. But in Turkey, where the free-speech issue remains a touchstone of controversy, devotees of the existing order are not taking lightly anything that seems to threaten the system. As a result, Tursun is facing charges of insulting the judiciary and security police. He could receive a two-year prison sentence if convicted during his trial, due to start July 15. Full Story