FT.com / World / Europe - 'Insulting Turkishness' case dismissed against novelist: "The prosecution of Turkey's most prominent woman novelist collapsed yesterday after the judge dismissed the case for lack of evidence, sparking clashes between riot police and nationalist demonstrators outside the Istanbul courthouse.
Elif Shafak, whose bestselling novels challenge aspects of Turkey's history and identity, was charged with 'insulting Turkishness' for remarks made by a character in one of her books.
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Her case was the first against a novelist under Article 301 of the penal code, which protects state institutions against criticism and has been seen as a licence to infringe civil liberties.
'I am very pleased,' Ms Shafak, 35, said from her hospital bed, where she is recovering after giving birth to her first child at the weekend. 'But Turkey is going to waste a lot of energy pursuing other cases.'"
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