‘History of Kurdistan’ Book Banned Again After 17 Years

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The book "Kürdistan Tarihi" (History of Kurdistan), which was prepared by the Kurdish Studies Center and published by the Avesta Publishing House, has been banned again after 17 years. The ruling has been given by the Ayvalık Penal Court of Peace.

The first edition of "History of Kurdistan" was confiscated by the State Security Court (DGM) in 2001. The publishing house was also given a fine and prison sentence by the court.

The İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has also demanded information regarding 10 books of the Avesta Publishing House.

Keskin: There is an odd confusion

Speaking to Adem Özgür from K24 book website, the owner of the Avesta Publishing House Abdullah Keskin stated that the ruling was given on July 1:

"Two police officers sent to the publishing house by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office demanded information about some of our books. The document issued by the Prosecutor's Office states that Ayvalık Penal Court of Peace has given a verdict banning the 'History of Kurdistan.' No notifications have been delivered to us about it; there is an odd confusion."

Reminding that nine books of the publishing house were previously banned, Keskin said that all of the banned and confiscated books were PhD theses.

The books previously banned and confiscated by the court are as follows:

Kan, İnançlar ve Oy Pusulaları (Blood, Beliefs and Voting Papers), Cesur Adamların Ülkesine Yolculuk (Journey to the Country of Brave Men), Tasavvur mu Gerçek mi? (Is it a Vision or Reality?), Mağdur Diasporadan Sınırötesi Vatandaşlığa mı? (From the Victim Diaspora to Transboundary Citizenship?), Ülkemde Bir Yabancı (A Foreigner in My Country), Kürdistan Bayrağının Altında ve Irak'ta Soykırım (Genocide Under the Flag of Kurdistan and in Iraq), Mahabad Kürt Cumhuriyeti Büyük Güçlerin Politikasında Kürtler 1941-1947 (Kurds in the Policies of Mahabad Kurdish Republic 1941-1947), Çaldıran Savaşı'nda Osmanlılar, Safeviler ve Kürtler (Ottomans, Safavids and Kurds in Battle of Chaldiran) and Tanrı ve Şeyh Adi Kusursuzdur: Yezidi Tarihinden Kutsal Şiirler ve Dinsel Anlatılar (God and Sheikh are Common Flawless: Holy Poems and Religious Narratives from the Yazidi History).

Edited by M.S. Lazarev and Ş.X. Mıhoyan and translated from Russian into Turkish by İbrahim Kale, the first edition of "History of Kurdistan" was published in Turkey in 2001. As for the Avesta Publishing House, it has been publishing Kurdish books in Turkey for 23 years. It has published more than 600 Turkish-Kurdish books until today. (HK/SD)