 A
deputy chairman from Turkey's ruling AKP withdrew a draft law that she prepared
after her work drew fierce criticism from the opposition in the country.
According to the draft law, prepared by AKP Deputy Chairman Edibe Sozen, those
purchasing pornographic publications were obliged to provide the retailer with
their citizenship number and signature, in order to be later handed to the Youth
and Sport General Administration.
The draft law also foresaw the construction of places of worships for students
from all religions at schools.
I decided not to bring the draft law to the agenda of parliament, in order to
put an end to the misunderstandings regarding my proposal, Sozen said.
Sozen's work drew fierce criticism from the opposition in Turkey, as AKP's
attempts were claimed to aim to divide young people and prepare the bases of a
theocratic state.
Update:
Distanced
18th August 2008
Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has proffered an olive branch to
secular critics by publicly disowning his party's proposals to curb pornography
and encourage school prayer.
In an unusually harsh rebuke in which he described Sozen's proposals as ill-
timed and fatal. He urged party discipline at a time when the AKP is under
fierce scrutiny for perceived anti-secular tendencies: It [the bill] is not
the party's work, but it was perceived as if it belonged to the party. Such
works should be discussed within the party first. It is an ill-timed and fatal
statement. The content is bad. She [Sozen] put the party in a difficult
situation. We are going through sensitive times that need caution and ultimate
care. This is valid for each one of us. We all need to refrain from any actions
or statements that could create new tensions.
|
