Lagendijk mogelijk vervolgd wegens belediging Turks leger (en)

Turkey's prosecutors have launched an inquiry into possible legal action against a Dutch MEP for allegedly insulting the country's army.

The Green Group's deputy within the European Parliament, Joost Lagendijk has co-chaired the European Parliament's delegation to observe the trial concerning novelist Orhan Pamuk, accused of insulting Turkish national identity.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of the trial earlier this month, Mr Lagendijk allegedly said that Turkish troops were provoking clashes with Kurdish separatists, BBC reported.

A group of nationalist lawyers reacted with a request to charge the MEP under the same article being used against the writer.

"Where does he find the audacity to consider himself above and immune from Turkish laws and to insult the Turkish army and the Turkish judiciary?" they said in a file to the prosecutor's office.

The same people also stand behind Mr Pamuk's indictment, reacting to his statements about crimes against Kurds and Ottoman Armenians in Turkey, in a magazine interview.

The novelist is due to appear before the courts on 7 February to hear the country's ministry of justice decision on whether to proceed with his case.

EU reaction

The Pamuk case has been followed closely by the European Union, currently negotiating with Ankara about its membership to the bloc.

As a chairman of the joint EU - Turkey parliamentary committee, the Dutch green MEP has been supporting the country's bid to join the 25-strong union.

But the latest move by the group of lawyers is likely to spark harsh reaction from among the loudest critics of Ankara and its limits on guaranteeing the freedom of expression of Turkish citizens.