Changes to article 301 face debate in parliament

Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin yesterday said proposed changes to Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) would be debated by Parliament's Justice Commission this week. Asked about criticisms of a separate proposal under which only the president could file a case to close a political party, so as to make closures harder, Sahin said several Western countries have the same policy. In addition, the full Parliament will continue three weeks of debates on the social security bill before its expected passage later this week.