Turkey:
Radio station to court for playing a song
Gün Radio is taken to court for a song entitled 'Mesopotamia', which was played by the station on 9 November 2006.
Based on the translation and report of the police department, the radio station's former executive editor, Cemal Dogan, faces trial under Article 216 of the Penal Code for "inciting public hatred and hostility or denigration".
Diyarbakir Public Prosecutor Turan Güzeloglu said in his indictment of 28 February 2007 that the song said: "Who said that you have no owner;
here we have come, Lice, we have come,
Emperor, Shah Kurdistan",
and "With wounds and blood,
with guns and stars,
with religion and belief".
New law on use of languages in Turkish media
On 25 January 2004, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) amended Article 4 of RTÜK Law No. 3984 and Law No. 4471, so as to allow "the broadcast of traditionally-used different languages and dialects used by Turkish citizens".
Tv stations wanting to broadcast in Kurdish were given permission two years later, but with a daily limit of 45 minutes, and a weekly limit of four hours. All programmes must have Turkish subtitles.
Radio stations are allowed one hour of Kurdish broadcasting daily and five hours weekly, also with mandatory translation.
For further information contact Nadire Mater at BIANET, Faikpasa Yokusu, No. 41, Antikhane, Kat: 3, D.8-9, Cukurcuma, Beyoglu, Istanbul, Turkey, tel: +90 212 251 1503, fax: +90 212 251 1609, e-mail: bia (at) bianet.org,
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