Kerinçsiz and Wilders -the perfect duo

Note for the Turkish readers, Geert Wilders is the leader of the ultra-right-wing, racist PVV ("freedom" party) of the Netherlands. He recently suggested the Muslims to tear away Kuran pages as he found them against his perception of freedom.

Note for the Dutch readers, Kemal Kerinçsiz is a lawyer who takes it upon himself to file charges against anyone that does not agree with the state position regarding national issues, as he thinks a number of people "insult Turkishness".
examples: Elif Şafak (2)
Hrant Dink
Orhan Pamuk

It seems that the fascists of the world are uniting, particularly against Albayrak these days, but who knows when it will be our turn.

Both news from Expatica,16 March 2007

Wilders wants clarification on Albayrak

Faction leader Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party (PVV) wants clarification from Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende on charges that a Turkish lawyer has threatened to bring against state secretary for justice Nebahat Albayrak.

If the threat should actually result in criminal charges, then Balkenende should urge Albayrak to relinquish her Turkish nationality or resign as state secretary. Wilders wrote in written questions to the prime minister today.

Turkish lawyer Kemal Kerinsciz said on a television programme on Thursday that he was considering filing charges against Albayrak on grounds of "insulting Turkish identity" because of her participation in a government that condemns the Armenian genocide of 1915. Turkey officially denies that any genocide took place.

Wilders has said in the past that Albayrak should resign because of her status as a dual national. He submitted a motion to force the resignation of Albayrak and social affairs state secretary Ahmed Aboutaleb, who is also a dual national, but got not support from others in Parliament.

Wilders sees Kerinsciz's comments as confirmation that government members with dual nationality could find themselves faced with problems of loyalty. He wants to know from Balkenende why the prime minister did not mention anything about possible charges against Albayrak in the debate on the government policy statement.

Albayrak said she is waiting to see if any action will actually be taken against her by the Turkish lawyer before responding.

Lawyer threatens Albayrak with charges

Turkish lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz is threatening to file charges against State secretary for justice Nebahat Albayrak. He has warned the state secretary not to insult her country of origin. The ultra-nationalist lawyer said it was best for Albayrak to relinquish her Turkish passport since she was serving in a government that condemns the Armenian genocide.

Kerincsiz said this on Thursday on the current affairs programme Eén Vandaag. The threat of charges coincides with the discussion on dual nationality in the Netherlands. State secretary Albayrak hold both Dutch and Turkish nationality. In a reaction she said via a spokesperson that she would wait to see whether actual charges were filed.

Kerincsiz has filed charges in the past against Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk and ethnic Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was murdered in January. In Dink's case the charges led to a conviction, though the case against Pamuk was dropped by the court in Istanbul because of international pressure.

The lawyer is invoking controversial article 301 of the Turkish penal code, which lists insulting Turkish identity as a crime.

While Albayrak was member of Parliament in 2004 she supported a motion calling for recognition of the Armenian genocide. That motion was unanimously adopted and taken on by the cabinet as well. On last night's television programme Kerincsiz expressed his displeasure at Albayrak's support for this motion.