A LETTER FROM SERJ TANKIAN ENCOURAGING ALL IN TAKING ACTION AGAINST ARTICLE 301

I am not one to keep silent when I see something wrong. So, today, I am writing to ask that you speak out with me on an issue that's really important.

Right now, in Turkey, there is a law called Article 301 that makes it a crime to say or write anything deemed to be "un-Turkish". Journalists, writers and many others who are vocal are facing trials under this law. In fact this year's Nobel Prize winner for literature, Orhan Pamuk escaped conviction on a technicality for his mention of the 1 million Armenians living in Turkey who were murdered in the first part of the 20th century.

The Turkish Government is not alone in repressing speech. In the Sudan today tens of thousands have been killed and millions more have been driven from their homes. The Sudanese Government will not acknowledge the extent of the tragedy and refuses to protect its own people. Journalists, writers and many others have been jailed for speaking out.

I ask that you join me and other Amnesty International members to stand up for free speech. Please send an email to the Turkish government demanding that they uphold the right to free speech and repeal Article 301 of the penal code. In addition to speaking out against Article 301, I ask that you also take action through Amnesty and demand the protection of the men, women and children in the Sudan.

Amnesty's e-mail actions really do work. In the past 45 years Amnesty has helped not only to release over 45,000 prisoners of conscience but have also helped to both change and abolish unfair laws like Article 301.

As a member of Amnesty International, I know I am helping to change the course of history and by taking action, so can you.

Thanks for speaking out for human rights!

Peace,

Serj Tankian
Lead Singer of System of a Down
Co-Founder of Axis of Justice

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A LETTER FROM SERJ TANKIAN ON THE MURDER OF PROMINENT TURKISH-AMERICAN JOURNALIST HRANT DINK

"I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Hrant Dink's murder (more like assassination) today in front of his Agos newspaper offices, in Istanbul Turkey.

I met Hrant Dink at the L.A. premiere of "Screamers", the documentary by Carla Garapedian featuring System Of A Down. Hrant is interviewed by Carla in the film where he explains how the "deep state" in Turkey is utilizing an outdated penal code, Article 301 to try him, Orhan Pamuk, and other journalists, writers, and human rights activists for "insulting or offending Turkishness."

"In his newspaper Agos, Hrant discussed issues important to the Armenians of Turkey. He was quite careful not to insult anyone in Turkey present or past regarding the Armenian Genocide or any other "sticky issues" that may be taken negatively. He instead tried to truly understand why so many people in Turkey were in denial of their past, why it was important to have a "real democracy" there where everyone can speak freely without worrying about retributions. He was by no means a fanatic nor extremist, but was a humble, kind, yet truthful individual who cared about Turkey, his country, and being Armenian, his culture and heritage. He yearned to bridge the understanding between Armenians and Turks to get over the pains of the past stemming from the Armenian Genocide by the Ottomans in 1915.

The difference between Hrant Dink and Orhan Pamuk and other writers or journalists incriminated under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code was that Hrant Dink was of Armenian descent and therefore may have been viewed more so as a traitor than other Turks of Turkish descent.

After many attempts at appealing the 3 different cases brought against him in reference to Article 301, Hrant was ready to take his case of freedom of speech to the European Court of Human Rights. In the last article he wrote for Agos on Jan. 10th, he made it very clear that the overwhelming amount of death threats against him were psychologically punishing him for speaking out. He felt his life was in extreme danger and asked for help from security officials of the country, but was not given any. When friends encouraged him to leave Turkey to avoid danger, he said that if he left now, he would be betraying the fight for democracy in Turkey, and that wouldn't be fair to others in his situation. I am not that heroic, I would have left. And funny enough when we met, he mused with me, calling me heroic, the whole time while I looked into his gentle eyes and knew in my heart that he was the true hero. It's easy for me to speak out against things, because at worst, I'll be faced with brutal disagreement, where he was faced with prison terms, harassment, psychological torture, and now death.

So he was killed, brutally, in daylight, with bullets to the head, another beautiful soul silenced no more.

Hrant Dink's cases along with Orhan Pamuk's past case and many others facing incrimination in Turkey under Article 301 of the penal code encouraged me to work with Amnesty International in getting the word out and working on trying to reverse this unjust incrimination of the freedoms of speech there."

- Serj Tankian

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SERJ TANKIAN SEEKS FURTHER ACTION ON ARTICLE 301

"Article 301 continues to be an obstacle to Turkish democracy and a tool of nationalist extremists, who this time have brought charges against the editorial staff of the Agos newspaper, whose original editor, Hrant Dink, was assassinated in Istanbul. Among those charged is Hrant's son Arat, who is ridiculously charged with reprinting his father's article citing the Armenian Genocide. Many brave journalists, writers and human rights advocates are putting their lives on the line to challenge Article 301. It's time we give them a helping hand."

-Serj Tankian

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