30 Publishing Houses Closed Through Statutory Decrees

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Turkish Publishers Association has published its Freedom to Publish Report for 2016-2017.

Since 1995, the association has been issuing the yearly Freedom to Publish Reports. This year's report covers the increased ban of books under the State of Emergency, books considered evidence for a crime, arrests of writers, assaults on publishing houses, book restrictions by the Ministry of National Education, book bans in prisons and the increasing pressures on the social media.

Stating that 1,656 people were behind bars for their postings on the social media, the report also pointed out that Turkey was number one in the world with regards to censorship on Twitter. Also the access block to Wikipedia was included in the report.

Closed publishing houses

According to the report the closed publishing houses are as follows:

Altınburç Publications, Burak Basım Publication Distribution, Dağıtım, Define Publications, Dolunay Eğitim Publication Distribution, Giresun Publication Distribution, Gonca Publications, Gülyurdu Publications, GYV Publications, Işık Akademi, Işık Özel Eğitim Publications, Işık Publications, İklim Publication Marketing, Kaydırak Publications, Kaynak Publications, Kervan Basın Publications, Kuşak Publications, Muştu Publications, Nil Publications, Rehber Publications, Sürat Publications Advertisement Education Instruments, Sütun Publications, Şahdamar Publications, Ufuk Publications News Agency Marketing, Ufuk Publications, Waşanxaneya Nil, Yay Publication Distribution, Yeni Akademi Publications, Yitik Hazine Publications, Zambak Publication Education Tourism, Evrensel Publications.

4,800 academics discharged

Through the statutory decrees issued under the State of Emergency 4,800 academics were discharged from public service according to the report. Five literature teachers were suspended and teacher Murat Özyaşar among these was arrested for five days.

Lawsuits were brought against many journalists and writers on charge of "being a member of an illegal organization","aiding an illegal organization" and "insulting religion". Owner of İleri Publications, Gökçe Fırat, still stands trial under pre-detention on ground of these charges.

In the report, also assaults on publishing houses and bookstores were listed as well as Kurdish books banned in prisons and the 162 journalists who are behind bars as of May 8, 2017. (TP/HK/DG)