Ragip Zarakolu is accused of "incitement to hatred on the basis of class, religion or race" (Article 312 of the Turkish Penal Code) for having published a book about the 1980-1983 Military regime entitled:
"The 12 September regime under trial" ("12 Eylul Yargılanıyor", edited by Gazi Caglar). The book was confiscated in May 2003. The IPA is calling upon the immediate lifting of all charges against publisher Ragip Zarakolu. Says Lars Grahn, the Swedish Publisher chairing the IPA's Freedom to Publish Committee: "The charges against Ragip Zarakolu are in direct breach of the right to freedom of opinion and expression."
The "12 September regime under trial" is a book prepared for research purposes based on findings and concrete documents and scientifically analyzing a historical period (the 12th September period).
The contents of the book are the often-discussed in public human rights violations which came about in Turkey in the period of the 12th September military junta, and of which the public opinion and society in a democratic society need to be informed.
IPA will attend the trial itself and will hold talks with Turkish publisher associations in order to determine how best to support publisher freedoms. In the past IPA called on the Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Ragip Zarakolu and to acquit him. However, these demands have remained unanswered.
Therefore, the IPA informed the European Union Turkey Bureau of this case. Within the Enlargement DG, this Bureau is in charge of monitoring Turkey's compliance with the acquis communautaire in general, and fundamental human rights in particular.
The European Commission has been following this case closely. Says Jens Bammel, Secretary General of the International Publishers Association: "If Turkey is ever to join the EU, its freedom to publish record needs serious improvement".
Joining forces with the International PEN, IPA calls for immediate and unconditional relief of Ragip Zarakolu from any charges, and the discontinuation of further legal processes against him.
Background information
Freedom to publish is guaranteed under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Turkey is a party, as well as Article 10 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Rights, which Turkey ratified.
Beyond Mr. Zarakolu's case, there are currently many cases pending against writers and publishers in Turkey, infringing their right to free expression. See annex 1 for more information on these cases.
More about ipa
The International Publisher Association was founded in 1896 and represents the publishing industry worldwide through 78 national, regional and specialized publishers associations in 66 countries.
IPA was founded to promote the lifeblood of publishing: Copyright protection and freedom to publish, internationally. IPA is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization enjoying a consultative status to the United Nations.
Annex 1: 1st Semester 2003: Banned books in Turkey
(Source: Turkish Publishers Association)
Publisher Author Title of the book
Anadolu Ali O. Köse "Yüz Sayıda Vatan Cilt 2"
Aram Qahır Fırat "Gulen Azadiye" (Essay)
Aram Antoloji "Yarınlara Yol Almak" (Memoirs)
Aram Mehmet Sebatlı "Kasırga Taburu" (Fiction)
Aram Kayhan Adnut "Tufanda 33 Gun" (Fiction)
Belge Derl.: Gazi Caglar "12 Eylul Yargılanıyor"
Bumerang Azize Celik "Seriat Istiyoruz"
Cetin A. Ocalan "Partilesme Sorunları ve Gorevlerimiz"
Cetin A. Ocalan "Guney Kurdistan'da Egemenlik Mucadelesi ve Devrimci Tutum"
Cetin Derleme "Ogrenci Genclik Hareketinin Yapılanma Sorunları"
Civiyazilari M. de Sade "Juliette" (TCK 426)
Deng Nureddin Basut "Hayat Bir Kere Yasanir"
Deng Kemal Burkay "Gecmisten Bugune Kurtler"
Deng Kemal Burkay "Carin"
Deng Cigerquin "Divan 3:Kine Em?" (Poems)
Deng Cigerquin "Divan 4:Ronat" (Poems)
Doz Mesut Barzani "Barzani ve Kurt Ozgurluk Hareketi"
Doz Mustafa Balbal "Ararat'taki Esir General"
Era/
StudyoImge Derleme "Eminem" (TCK 426)
Era/S-İ Eminem "Show" (TCK 426)
Era/S-İ Eminem "Kızgın Sarisin" (TCK 426)
Era/S-İ Sibel Torunoglu "Trevesti Pinokyo" (TCK 426)
Era/S-İ Irwine Welsh "Porno" (TCK 426)
Era/S-İ Irwine Welsh "Olaganustu" (TCK 426)
Haziran Derleme "Cezaevi Direnisleri 3: Ulucanlar"
Hevi Derleme "21. yy. Kadın Manifestosu"
Hevi Derleme "Kadının Toplumsal Sozlesmesi"
Hevi Berjin Hakli "Kawa'nın Ezgisi"
İletisim Derl. Herkul Milas "Goc: Anadolu Rumlarinin Mecburi Ayrilisi 1919-1922" (Mahkumiyet)
Si Muslum Yucel "Kurtlerde Olum ve Intihar"
Senfoni Koray Düzgören "Turkiye'de Kurtce Hakkı"
Senfoni Kerim Yildiz "Kurt Gocu"
Umut Derleme "Saklanmaya Calısilan Bir Mesale: Ibrahim Kaypakkaya"
Umut Derleme "Komsomol"
Umut Derleme "Parti ve Devrim Sehitleri Albumu"
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