The editor and
publisher of a Turkish LBGT magazine faces up to three
years in prison if convicted of peddling "pornography" in
his publication, Kaos GL.
Umut Guner is
accused of publishing pornographic issues based on the
Turkish Penal Code, Article 226, according to Kaos
GL's Web site. The criminal code states that "a person
who broadcasts or publishes obscene images, printed or
audio material or who acts as an intermediary for this
purpose shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a term
of six months to three years."
The July 24 issue
was confiscated by a Turkish court the day it was
printed because it was deemed pornographic. The issue
examined pornography by experts in the field, the Web
site said.
In 2005 Kaos
GL requested that while the code was in review, it
include a definition of "obscenity"
The 12-year-old
publication appealed a decision by the lower court that
ruled the publication was pornographic. The publishers plan
to appeal the case to the European Court of Human
Rights. (The Advocate)