20 Years of Struggle for Freedom to Publish In
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20 YEARS OF STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM TO PUBLISH IN TURKEY 1994- 2014 20 YEARS OF STRUGGLE 20 YEARS OF STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM TO PUBLISH IN TURKEY Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Reports FOR FREEDOM TO PUBLISH 1994 - 2014 IN TURKEY 1. EDITION İSTANBUL, SEPTEMBER 2014 ISBN 978-975-365-017-5 Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards All rights reserved. @TURKIYE YAYINCILAR VE YAYIN DAGITIMCILARI BIRLIGI DERNEGI and Freedom to Publish Reports Inonu Caddesi Opera Palas Apt. No: 55 D:2 34437 Gumussuyu, Beyoglu / ISTANBUL 1994 - 2014 T: 0 212 512 56 02 F: 0 212 511 77 94 E: [email protected] TRANSLATION Ali Ottoman, Funda Soysal, Deniz İnal EDITING Yonca Cingöz PROOF READING Sara Whyatt GRAPHIC DESIGN Elif Rifat TYPESETTING Nevruz Kıran Öksüz PRINTED AND BOUND IN Umut Matbaası 3 CONTENTS Foreword.........................................................................................................................................5 FOREWORD Freedom to Publish Report 1994.....................................................................................................8 Every year since 1995, the Turkish Publishers Association prepares Freedom Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards 1995........................................................................16 to Publish Report and hands out an award to a writer, a publisher and a booksell- er. This year the writer’s award goes to Tonguç Ok, an exceptionally productive Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards 1996........................................................................18 translator who is in prison - a choice which has special significance. Freedom to Publish Report 1997...................................................................................................21 Because of these activities, the Turkish Publishers Association is among the Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards 1998 ...................................................................... 24 most eminent members the International Publishers Association, a 100 year old establishment which is among the United Nations’ advising institutions. The In- Books Known to have been Subject to Legal Prosecution in 1996-1997-1998................................25 ternational Publishers Association has delivered its Freedom to Publish Awards Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 1999......................29 since 1998. The fact that this tradition began with a publisher from Turkey (Ayşe Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2000......................35 Nur Zarakolu, the first winner of this award) has a special significance because publishers in Turkey have paid a heavy toll for the advance of the freedoms of Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2001......................44 thought and expression, the freedoms to write and to read and for the removal of Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2002......................53 all obstacles to these freedoms. In the words of the poet Eşref, “There was censor- ship in the era of oppression and people could not speak out, then came the era Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2003......................63 of freedom and they let people talk, but with plenty of punishments...” Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2004......................70 When we published our first report in 1995, we dedicated it to our colleagues Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2005......................82 who had lost their lives for the simple fact that they were publishers and that they were practicing their profession. Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2006......................97 Our great writer Sebahattin Ali was also the publisher of the famous Marco Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2007....................123 Pasha column in the Dünya newspaper. He experienced incredible struggles for the freedom to publish. In 1948 he was executed by the single party regime. As Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2008....................137 for Musa Anter, who published the first Kurdish newspaper of the multi-party re- Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2009....................150 gime, he fell victim to the same mentality and was assassinated in 1992 at the age Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2010....................159 of 72. In 1969, Mehmet Ali Ermiş, editor of the Gün Publishing, died of a heart attack during a court hearing while being judged for having published Nazım Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report 2011....................173 Hikmet’s book Yaşamak Güzel Şey Be Kardeşim (Life is Beautiful My Brother). Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report In 1981 İlhan Erdost, editor of the Onur Publishing, was practically lynched June 2011-June 2012...................................................................................................................187 at the Mamak Military Prison. In 1980, the deaths, again from a heart attack, of two of our important publishers, Mehmet Ali Ermiş, editor at May Publishing and Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report Oğuz Akkan, editor at Cem Publishing, can be seen as no coincidence considering June 2012-June2013....................................................................................................................217 the atmosphere of intense fear that reigned at the time. The contribution these senior publisher colleagues of ours, who stood as ex- Freedom of Thought and Expression Awards and Freedom to Publish Report amples before us, has been enormous in achieving the level of the freedom to June 2013-June 2014..................................................................................................................248 publish we have today, however insufficient it still may be. We therefore take 4 5 off our hats and bow with respect and sympathy in memory of each of these col- Law changed. As a result, they managed to obtain certain changes - however in- leagues. sufficient they may be - leading to existing trials being suspended and thus fewer The Constitution established following the 1961 military coup brought about publishers sent to prison. With the Anti Terror Law, the State Security Courts a certain atmosphere of freedom but that did not lead a conservative judiciary to (DGM) were overwhelmed with press related trials and practically found them- abandon its habit of having writers, journalists and publishers dragged into the selves turned into specialized press tribunals. courts. During this whole process, the reports published by the Turkish Publishers During the 60’s, Öncü Publishing editor Zeki Öztürk, Toplum Publishing edi- Association and its awards played an important role in spreading the word about tor Remzi İnanç, Ant Publishing editors Doğan and İnci Özgüden, and Habora the situation to local and international public opinion through the press, which Publishing editor Bülent Habora all fought for the freedom to publish, again at the also increased the association’s credibility and prestige. cost of being taken to court. Bülent Habora, whom we recently lost, published the The International Publishers Association stresses the fact that publication is first compilation in this field with his work titled Yasak Kitaplar (Banned Books). not just a commercial activity but one that also serves an ethical function. This Following the 1980 military coup, dozens of publishing houses closed down, implies nothing less than the need for involvement in the freedom to publish, some by force. Millions of “harmful” publications were destroyed. Even world for the freedom to publish is of a strategic importance for the freedom to express classics were included in the lists of banned books. It is impossible to forget the one’s ideas, and the freedom to read and write. In other words, publishing plays great legal battle held in the 60’s under such dire circumstances by Bilim ve Sosy- a crucial role in the establishment of freedom of thought and freedom to create. alizm Publishing editor Süleyman Ege, who saw his whole stock of publications In this regard, we owe special thanks to our previous presidents Atıl Ant and seized and destroyed, and who was among the publishers sent to court. Çetin Tüzüner, who made it possible to launch and maintain this tradition in our Thanks to a partial reform brought by the Ecevit Government in the 70’s, pub- association. lishers were exempted from prosecution for their publications during that period Last but not the least, I want to thank Metin Celal, the current President of and even during the 12 September (1980) coup, on condition that the writer or the Turkish Publishers Association, its Board of Directors and Yonca Cingöz, who translator of the book in question be known and held responsible for it. However, has shouldered this hard task, and for making visible these meaningful efforts of with the Press Law that was introduced during the last days of the 1980 military the past. junta government, publishers were again held responsible for their publications. In fact the draft law also held the printers responsible. For the first time publishers THE TURKISH PUBLISHERS