Charges against renowned Turkish writer and Zaman columnist Elif Shafak for “degenerating Turkishness” in her book “The Bastard of Istanbul” were dropped Thursday morning. The Beyoglu (Supreme) Court in Istanbul decided that there was not sufficient evidence for the crime, so Shafak could not be prosecuted.
Shafak did not participate into the trial in person, but her husband, Eyup Can, and her lawyers were present in the court. Joost Lagendijk, the Turkey-E.U. Joint Parliamentary Commission co-chairman, was also following the case, reported Zaman.
To remind, the writer was charged in compliance of Article 201 of the Turkish Penal Code for “degenerating Turkishness” in her book “The Bastard of Istanbul”, which describes the events of 1915-1917 as of the Armenian Genocide.
