HIrgUr MUstemleke; Sanki Fiyasko Ha

[root at newsdesk.aps.nl]

From: newsdesk at newsdesk.aps.nl (Newsdesk Amsterdam)
Subject: Re: HIrgUr MUstemleke; Sanki Fiyasko Haberler, 1/2/95, 08:00 TSI
Reply-To: root at newsdesk.aps.nl

------ Forwarded from : Haldun Haznedar <haldun at avalanche.micro.ti.com> --------

(6) Turkish publisher faces prison for two books

ISTANBUL, Jan 31 (Reuter) - A Turkish publisher said on Tuesday that she had
been sentenced to 21/2 years in prison for "separatism," based on her work with
two books challenging Turkey's treatment of Armenians and Kurds.

Ayse Nur Zarakolu, who runs Belge Publishing, told Reuters a court order on
Monday sentenced her to two years for publishing a translation of the "Armenian
Taboo," by French writer Yves Ternon.

Zarakolu said she received another six months for a compilation of articles by
Kurdish MP and author, Yasar Kaya, who fled to Europe after he was stripped of
his parliamentary immunity.

"This is a scandal," said Zarakolu, who is free pending an appeal. Her case is
being closely watched by European human rights groups. Zarakolu said the
court's ruling was based on laws banning separatism and anti-state terror.

Scores of writers and intellectuals have been sentenced to prison for
expressing ideas that contradict Turkey's official ideology on the
indivisibility of the state. Ternon's book, first published in France in 1977,
is one of the few works in Turkey to address the widespread killing in 1915 of
Armenians during the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey denies any
organised massacres took place.

Zarakolu, who was also fined 300 million lira ($7,500), recently completed a
four month prison term for publishing a book examining the roots of Turkey's
policies towards its Kurdish minority.