Ragip Zarakolu and Busra Ersanli -
Sydney PEN joins WiPC in calling for the charges facing Turkish writers Ragip Zarakolu & Busra Ersanli to be dropped immediately.
Turkish publisher and human rights activist Ragip Zarakolu was released from prison on 10 April 2012. Sydney PEN and PEN International remain deeply concerned that Zarakolu – who was arrested in October 2011 – still faces a lengthy trial and up to 15 years in prison. 178 of the 193 suspects in the KCK trial remain imprisoned, including Marmara University Professor and constitutional law expert Professor Büşra Ersanlı, who is accused of ‘leading a terrorist organisation’ and faces up to 22.5 years in prison. We reiterate the call for the immediate dropping of all charges faced by Zarakolu and Ersanlı.
Publisher Ragip Zarakolu
Zarakolu is one of 15 suspects accused of membership of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) who were released pending trial in April 2012. The Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court cited the length of time suspects had already been imprisoned, “the nature of their crimes” and “the state of the evidence” as reasons why they released the 15 suspects. Zarakolu had been imprisoned in a high-security facility since his arrest last year. The next hearing of his case is expected to be on 2 July.
PEN would like to once again call for Professor Büşra Ersanlı's unconditional release. PEN continues to protest her charges and imprisonment, which is in breach of the international standards to which Turkey is committed, specifically Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, both of which protect the right to freedom of expression.
BACKGROUND:
In October 2011, along with 41 others, Zarakolu and Ersanlı were taken by police and imprisoned under Anti-Terror legislation and accused of “membership of an illegal organisation”.
Sydney PEN publicised the case of Zarakolu and Ersanlı by featuring them at The Empty Chair installed in the City Campus Library of the University of Technology, Sydney. Sydney PEN also wrote to His Excellency Mr Oguz OZGE, the Turkish Ambassador in Australia, and Mr Ian Biggs, the Australian Ambassador to Turkey regarding this matter.
TAKE ACTION:
Please send appeals:
- welcoming the release pending trial of Ragıp Zarakolu;
- expressing regret that he was not freed unconditionally;
- expressing concern that Professor Büşra Ersanlı, translator Ayşe Berktay and Zarakolu’s son, Deniz Zarakolu and other writers and journalists detained because of their alleged affiliation with Kurdish political parties remain detained; and
- referring to concerns that these detentions and trials flout international standards protecting the rights to freedom of expression and association as guaranteed by both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the European Convention on Human and Democratic Rights, to which Turkey is a signatory.
Send appeals to:
Mr Sadullah Ergin
Minister of Justice
06669 Kizilay
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: 00 90 312 419 3370
Email: sadullahergin "at" adalet.gov.tr
Sydney PEN Members can also write to the Turkish ambassador in Australia:
His Excellency Mr Oguz OZGE
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Embassy of the Republic of Turkey
6 Moonah Place
Yarralumla ACT 2600
Tel: (02) 6234 0000
Fax: (02) 6273 4402
Email: turkemb.canberra "at" mfa.gov.tr
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Today’s Zaman-"Publisher Zarakolu among 15 released pending trial in KCK case" (10 April 2012)
Sydney PEN – TURKEY: Writer and academic Ragip Zarakolu formally charged alongside Professor Büşra Ersanlı (1 Nov 2011)
The Guardian – “Outcry over Turkish publisher's arrest and detention” (2 Nov 2011)
International PEN – “TURKEY: Ragip Zarakolu releases public letter from prison” (2 Oct 2011)