The support of world's community of publishers gave us courage and endurance in the struggle for freedom to publish. This is a brief picture of the freedom to publish in the last period.
In 2000 , 20 books of 14 publishing houses were banned or accused. In 2001, 42 books of 23 publishing houses and 38 writers had the same destiny.
The total number of the banned publications (as books and periodicals) in 2001 was 1300 with the data of Ministry of Internal Affairs. And majority of the books confiscated before legal process. Rarely these cases finished as acquitted.
In 2002 more books were accused than last year. These were 67 books, 35 publishers and 48 writers were accused. As a promising development, 14 of whom were acquitted. Yet 10 books and their writers and publishers were sentenced..
Two of the acquittals weren't accepted by Appeal Court and sent back to the courts. For example political historian Mr. Turan Feyizoglu's biography of one of the heros of Turkish left, Ibrahim Kaypakkaya, was acpuitted. But Appeal Court did not approve this and sent back this case to the State Security Court.
Publisher Ms. Mukaddes Çelik, was acquited. The book, she was charged with, is called "Bizim Çakir", which was about her husband, leader of a left organisation, was found supposedly hanged in his cell, during the military regime in 1981.
Mr. Ahmed Onal, who has the Prize of Freedom of Thought by Publishers Union of Turkey, was sentenced because a book ("Teyra Baz" by Mr. Mahmut Baksi) about the relations of some politicians with drug trafficking. Instead of using this book as a proof against drug-trafficking, this testimonies of a drug-tradesman, Mr. Baybasin ( who is in prison now in Holland), were confiscated. And now there is a program about this matter on Turkish TV's, but the book was already sentenced, with the claim of insulting state security forces and the statesmen.
The reason of this rising trend of confiscations may be explained by the more nationalistic structure of the last coalition government. This phenomenon has caused a contradictionary situation. On the one hand , there has been some legal preparations for European Unity, on the other hand there was more intolerance against different and opposent expressions.
What is more, it has been observed also a kind of politicalisation in Turkish justice system, unfortunately. Dependent to the personnel tendencies of jurists, more tolerant or more intolerant judgments could come. Further more, the conservative tendencies more affected the banning decrees about the books, which has erotical and sexual expressions.
Beside the books about kurdish question, more books about minorities in Turkey were banned and accused. This is affected also by the extreme right's campaigns against the minorities during the last year.
For example, Mr. Omer Asan, who has the Prize of Turkish-Greek Peace and Friendship, were accused 6 year later after publishing his book, "The Culture of Pontos", during this ultra-nationalist campaigns.
Again another Prize owner writer (by Ministry of Culture), Mr. Kemal Yalcin was accused, 4 years later after publishing "Emanet Ceyiz" (The Bridal Trousseau). And his publisher had to make self-censorship, and prevented to distribute a new book of the same writer, based on Armenian old men's testimonies, "Seninle Guler Yuzum" (My Face smile with You).
All books were destroyed by publishing house itself. Mr. Kemal Yalcin had to make a new print in Germany by himself. Another interesting example of self-censorship is the fate of Sorbonne oriented researcher Esther Be!nbassa's book"Israel - The Land Undividable".
The same publisher decided not to publish this book at the last moment, because it may create serious political problems for their important media group. But another important publishing house, Iletisim had dared to do this, and published the same book. And there was no problem.
Interestingly in the same period, some subvention (of Ministry of Culture) owned films were attacked or banned, with the same reason, "separatism". One of the films, "Salkim Hanimin Taneleri" (The Pieces of Lady Buch), was about minorities' sufferings in Turkey, in 40's. Because the film based on the novel of another Minister of the government, couldn't be banned.
But another one ("Buyuk Adam Kuçuk A?k"/"Great Man Little Love), about an retired old judge, who adopted a kurdish little orphan girl, was banned. Only after the order of Court of Administration the film became free again.
During last period, beside the book publishing, also other sectors of publishing had serios problems on the base of freedom to expression and to publish. TV channels (temporally, several), radios (Ozgur Radyo) and internet publishers (publisher Erol Ozkoray's Idea Politika) had to stop their publishing by the decrees of government, or governmental institutions.
240 musical CD's and cassettes were banned with taking back their license of production, because of their protesting or ethnical contents. The ministry of Industry tried to close "Kalan" CD and cassette Production Company. Only the personal intervention of Minister of culture, the closure could be prevented.
The editor, Mr. Zeynel Abidin Kizilyaprak, was sentenced 1 year 4 month imprisonment, because he edited an album, "The Kurds from 1900 to 2000". His sentenced approved by Appeal Court. He has to go in prison now.
Another writer and publisher Mr. Melih Pekdemir was sentenced, because he made critics against the Kurdish politics of government (beside Kurdish groups). Not to go in jail, the writer, Mr. Pekdemir had to leave his country.
Publisher Ozcan Sapan was sentenced, because of the collection of articles on, titled "Writings of Caucasus". Also he forced to pay high amount of fees, because he dared to publish a critique of State TV and Radio Institution.
Also the editor of Publishing House Utopia, Mr. Cenk Agcabay were sentenced 3 years and 9 month, because he published an essay, titled "Kovadis PKK" in a collection of articles, "The Struggle of Worker". The content of this article was critical against the Kurdish struggle, but the publisher accused with "to help illegal organization".
Main accusations against the books were "separatism" (for the books about Kurdish question or minorities), "insulting against the state and its institutions" (for the books about human rights' abuses and the ideological cadres in police), "to help illegal organizations" ( interviews with guerilla, the memories or the history of left) and "to disturb people's moral values" (for erotical expressions).
Also the collection of caricatures and comics were confiscated and accused with the same arguments. These were mostly accused of harassing people's moral values.
Famous French poet, Appolinaire's erotical novel, "Eleven thousand Whips" had the same fate. It is banned, and the editor of "Hades" Publishing Mr. Rahmi Akdas has to pay a big fine. And the poet and editor, Mr. Enis Batur's essays on art, collected under the title "Apple" was banned, only because of the picture of a painting.
Anyway "Apple" was acquitted. But another book, Dragan Babic's novel, "The Last Exile" was not so lucky. It is sentenced. And these time the court decided not only "to seizure" the copies, also "to annihilate" them. Using the term of "annihilation" created reactions in Turkish press. These examples showed the growing degree of intolerance during the last government.
The most striking banning decree was about a dictionary about women's slang. (By Metis Publishing House). Also the grammar and dictionary of local Pontiac Greek language, spoken in turkish region of Black Sea, was banned. So the pressures on Kurdish culture began to spread to other cultural heritage of Anatolia, in the beginning of this year. This was also a threat to European Unity process, which gives priority to the protection of minorities. But as the publisher's community, we wish to be more hopeful for the next period upon the November elections.
Publisher, writer and the book name
Akyuz - Semra Koçiva "Lazona: Laz Halk Gerçekligi Uzerine"
(Lazona:About the Reality of Laz People)
Anadolu - Ali O. KOse "Hapisanelerde Katliam" (Massacre in Prisons)
Anadolu - Ali O. KOse "Iskence I" (The Torture I)
Aram - Chomsky "Amerikan Mudaheleciligi" (Acquittal)
(The American Interventionism)
Aram - Antoloji "Bu Yurek Daglar A?ar" (Gerilla siiri 1)
(Guerilla Poetry I:
This Heart will get over the Mountains)
Aram - Antoloji "Dagin Kalbinde Gizliyiz""(Gerilla siiri 2)
(Guerilla Poetry I:
(We are hidden in the Heart of the Mountains)
Aram - Antoloji "Sevdam Gunesi Tadinda" (Gerilla Anilari- 2)
(Gerilla Memories 2: My Love has the Taste)
Aram - Antoloji "çimizde Bir Parca Ulke" (Gerilla Anilari 2)
(Gerilla Memories 2: A Piece of Land in Us)
Aram - Huseyin Kayta "Ammar isaretleri" (Sentenced)
(The Signs of Ammar)
Aram - Gul Ç. Gunertekin "Dilimiz Varligimiz Dilimiz Kimligimiz"(Sentenced)
(Our Language Our Identity)
Avesta - J.Randall "Bunca Bilgiden Sonra" (Sentenced)
(After Knowing All This)
Avesta - Malmisanij "Kurt Talebe Hevi Cemiyeti"
(Hevi: Kurdish Student Union)
Avesta - Margaret Kahn "Cinlerin Çocuklari"
(Children of the Demons )
Ayrinti - Dragan Babic "Son Surgun" (Sentenced)
(The Last Exile)
Ayrinti - Marquis de Sade "Yatak Odasinda Felsefe"
(Philosophy in the Bedroom)
Belge - Huseyin Turhalli "Ozgurluk Turkusu"
(The Ballad of Freedom)
Belge - Omer Asan "Pontos Kulturu"
(The Pontos Culture)
Boran - Derleme "Milliyetçilik Cikmazi"
(The Deadlock of Nationalism)
BYK - Mahir Kaynak "Yel Ufurdu Sel Goturdu" (Acquittal)
(Wind blew, Flood Took Away)
Ceylan - Mukaddes Celik "Bizim Cakir" (Acquittal)
(Our Cakir)
Cetin - A. Ocalan "Apocu Siyaset"
(Politics on the Way of Apo)
Cetin - A. Ocalan "Ozgur Yasamla Dialoglar"
(Dialogs with Free Life)
Çetin - Derleme "PJA 4. Kongre Belgeleri"
(Documents of Kurdish Women's Party 4. Congress)
Civiyazilari - Aysul Yuksel "Tarkan-Yildiz Olgusu" (Acquittal)
(Tarkan: As a Fact of Star)
Civiyazilari - Huseyin Demirel " Yolcu"
(Traveler)
Civiyazilari - Orhan Gokdemir "Pike: Bir Polis sefinin Kisa Tarihi"
(The Pike: A Short History of a Chief of Police)
Civiyazilari - Aysul Yuksel "Koltuk Sevdasi: TRT Ciftligi" (Sentenced)
(The Love for Armchair: The Farm of Turkish Radio Television)
Civiyazilari - Derleme "Kafkasya Yazilari" (Sentenced)
"Writings of Caucasus"
Dogan - Kemal Yalçin "Emanet ceyiz"
(The Bridal Trousseau)
Everest - Serge Bramly "Yatak Odasinda Teror"
Terror in Bedroom)
Everest - Elfride Jelinek "Piyanist"
(The Pianist)
Firat - Kemal Suphandag "Agri Direnisi ve Haydaranlilar"
(The Tribe of Haydaran and the Ararat Resistance)
Gendas - Mehmed Uzun "Nar Çiçekleri" (Acquittal)
(Pomegranade Flowers)
Gendas - Mehmet Uzun "Bir Dil Yaratmak" (Acquittal)
(Building up a Language)
Gunizi - Hidir Aslan "Seriat Kiskacinda Alevilik"
(Alewite in the Pincers of Fundemantalism )
Hades Apollinaire "Onbirbin Kirbaç" (Sentenced)
(Ten thousand eleven Whips)
Iletisim - Celal Baslangiç "Korku Tapinagi" (Acquittal)
(The Temple of Fear)
Iletisim - Nese Duzel "Turkiye'nin Gizlenen Yuzu" (Acquittal)
(The Hidden Face of Turkey)
Municipality of Kutahya - Mustafa Gazal "Evlilik Rehberi"
(The Guide of Mariage)
Mem - Mahsun Safak "PKK ve Degisim Stratejisi"
(PKK and The Strategy of Transformation)
Mem - Mahsun Safak "VI. Ulusal Kongre Raporu"
(The Report of VI. Congress)
Mem - A. Ocalan Çetecilige Kar?i Mucadele"
(Struggle against the the Gangs)
Metis - Filiz Bingolce "Kadin Argosu Sozlugu"
(The Dictionary of Women Slang)
Ozan - Turan Feyizoglu "BO-brahim Kaypakkaya (The Life of Kaypakkaya)
(After Acquittal, Appeal Court refused))
Pencere - Necdet Buldan "Savas'a Mektup" (Sentenced)
(Letter to my Brother Savas)
Peri - Murat Erol Coskun "Acinin Dili Kadin" (Woman,the Language of Pain)
Peri - Mahmut Baksi "Teri Baz" (Sentenced)
Peri - Evin Aydar Çiçek "Tutkular ve Tutsaklar" (Sentenced)
(Passions and Captives)
Peri - Naci Kutlay "21. Yuzyila Girerken Kurtler"
(The Kurds at the Beginnig of 21. Century
Peri - Munzur Cem "Dersim'de Alevilik" (Alewite in Dersim Region)
(After Acquital, Appeal Court refused, then sentenced)
Pinar - Cihan Akta? "Bacidan Bayana"
(From Sister to Lady)
Piramid - Erje Aydin "Ikinci Caddenin Çilgin Yesili"
(The Crazy Green of Second Avenue)
Piramid - Erje Aydin "Hauptbahnhof'da Bir Trene Bindim"
(Got on Train in Hauptbahnhof)
Sel - Enis Batur "Elma" (Acquital)
(The Apple)
Sel - Metin Ustundag "Pazar Sevisgenleri" (Acquittal)
(Sunday Lovers)
Sel - Mehmet Erguven "Pusudaki Ten" (Acquital)
(Skin in Trap)
Su - Salih Kevirbiri "Bir Çigligin Yuzyili-Karapete Xaco"
(Century of a Cry: Adulator Karapete Xaco)
Su - Melih Pekdemir "Ocalan Devlet mi?" (Sentenced)
(A Revenger State?)
Su - Zubeyr Kudra "Fetullah'in Coplari"
(The Sticks of Fetullah)
STKB - "Hocanin Okullari" (Acquital)
(The Scools of Hoca)
Tavir - Ahmet Kulaksiz "Zehra ile Canan"
(Zehra and Canan: Two Sister died in Hunger Strike)
Timas - Aydogan Vatanda? "Argemedon"
Tohum - Aytekin Yilmaz "Çok Kulturlulukten Tek Kulturluluge Anadolu"
(Anatolia: From Multiculturalism to Monoculture)
Umut - Derleme "Iskencehanelerde Kizil Direnis Ruhu
(Resistance under the Torture)
Umut - Ibrahim Cihan "A.Ocalan'la Imrali'ya"
(With Ocalar to the Island of Imrali)
Umut - Derleme "Ruzgar Bizden Yana"
(Wind is Blowing on our Side)
Umut - Derleme "Firtinalar çinde Biçak Sirtinda "
Zaman - Necati Kola "Bir Isyanin Modeli: Terimizm"
(A Model of Uprising: Terimism)
_____ Ahmet Ozcan "Derin Devlet ve Muhalefet Gelenegi"
(The Deep State and the Tradition of Opposition)
_____ Salman Yuksel "Ankara Cetesinin Vatan Kurtarma Operasyonu"
(The Operation of Saving the Country by Ankara Gang)
_____ Salman Yuksel "Cetenin Kimligi"
(The Identity of the Gang)
* Ragip Zarakolu is the chair of the Publishing Committee of Turkey's Publishers Association.
