http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/03/25/zarakolu-again-sentenced-in-turkey/
On trial since September 2010, Turkish publisher Ragip Zarakolu and writer Mehmet Guler were convicted on March 10 for “propaganda for the PKK” in the book “The KCK File: Global State and Kurds Without a State.”
Zarakolu faces a prison sentence of more than seven years for publishing the book, which was banned and confiscated in May 2010, after being published at the first Book Fair in Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Zarakolu is one of the founding members of the Turkish Association for Human Rights, and is chair of the Committee for Freedom of Publication in Turkey. He was on trial under Article 301 of the Turkish penal code for his publications on Turkish taboos (Armenian Genocide, “Kurdish Question,” role of army in political life, torture). Zarakolu, along with his wife Ayse, who passed away in 2002, have since the 1970’s been subjected to harassment, trials, and periods of imprisonment for publishing books on the Armenian Genocide.
“Turkey once again has denied its commitment to constitutional reforms towards the European Union,” said Hilda Tchoboian, president of the European Armenian Federation. “Turkish leaders’ declarations about positive change towards democracy and free speech are mere fictional statements.”
The Federation has repeatedly alerted the European Union to such condemnation of Turkish intellectuals and journalists under the controversial Article 301, which makes it illegal to “insult Turkishness.”
By having adopted the report on Turkey written by rapporteur Oomen-Ruijten on Feb. 10—which omitted any mention of the genocide, Cyprus, or the Kurds—the European Parliament has supported Turkey in its refusal to admit its state crimes, said Tchoboian. “The European Parliament failed to give the right signal to that country regarding the Armenian Genocide. It is a disservice to Turkish Democrats and to Turkey to import that taboo in Europe, while Turkish intellectuals consistently take important risks to get rid of denial policy,” she said.
The European Armenian Federation, based in Brussels, is the biggest and most influential Armenian grassroots organization in Europe.
For more information, visit http://eafjd.eu/spip.php?lang=en.
Ragip Zarakolu
Zarakolu faces a prison sentence of more than seven years for publishing the book, which was banned and confiscated in May 2010, after being published at the first Book Fair in Diyarbakir, Turkey.
Zarakolu is one of the founding members of the Turkish Association for Human Rights, and is chair of the Committee for Freedom of Publication in Turkey. He was on trial under Article 301 of the Turkish penal code for his publications on Turkish taboos (Armenian Genocide, “Kurdish Question,” role of army in political life, torture). Zarakolu, along with his wife Ayse, who passed away in 2002, have since the 1970’s been subjected to harassment, trials, and periods of imprisonment for publishing books on the Armenian Genocide.
“Turkey once again has denied its commitment to constitutional reforms towards the European Union,” said Hilda Tchoboian, president of the European Armenian Federation. “Turkish leaders’ declarations about positive change towards democracy and free speech are mere fictional statements.”
The Federation has repeatedly alerted the European Union to such condemnation of Turkish intellectuals and journalists under the controversial Article 301, which makes it illegal to “insult Turkishness.”
By having adopted the report on Turkey written by rapporteur Oomen-Ruijten on Feb. 10—which omitted any mention of the genocide, Cyprus, or the Kurds—the European Parliament has supported Turkey in its refusal to admit its state crimes, said Tchoboian. “The European Parliament failed to give the right signal to that country regarding the Armenian Genocide. It is a disservice to Turkish Democrats and to Turkey to import that taboo in Europe, while Turkish intellectuals consistently take important risks to get rid of denial policy,” she said.
The European Armenian Federation, based in Brussels, is the biggest and most influential Armenian grassroots organization in Europe.
For more information, visit http://eafjd.eu/spip.php?lang=en.
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