KurdishMedia, UK
March 26 2004
In spite of the claims of democratization in Turkey
26/03/2004 KurdishMedia.com
In spite of the claims of democratization in Turkey
Besikci’s books remain forbidden,
Armenian editor threatened with death
A fascist murderer of seven students freed
Sociologist Ismail Besikci’s books on Kurds are still forbidden
The Yurt Publications, which printed all books written by
sociologist-writer Ismail Besikci, who was judged at State Security
Court (DGM) for the 23 books he wrote and most of whose books were
withdrawn from circulation, apllied to 1st State Security Court in
Ankara and requested the ban on printing his books be removed as the
8th article of Combat Against Terrorism Laws (TMY) has been removed
due to EU adjustment regulations.
The runner of the publication house Unsal Ozturk, apllied to the 2nd
DGM and got the right for printing 8 books, as the 1st DGM hadn’t
given permission. However the ban on 15 of the books wasn’t removed
due to the reason of ‘still constituing crime according to Turkish
law’.
Despite that it was removed according to EU adjustment laws, the 8th
article of TMY is still continuing to be a problem. Removal request
of the ban on the 23 books written by Sociologist-Writer Ismail
Besikci was rejected by the 1st DGM, though the 8th article was
removed.
The books, the ban on whose wasn’t removed were the ones drawing
attention to the Kurdish question. For example, though the book
named, “An Intellectual, an Organization and the Kurdish Question” is
no more a crime according to the 8th article, the ban on it was not
removed.
Here is the Court’s decision about the book: “Though the book ‘An
Intellectual, an Organization and the Kurdish Question’ was sentenced
on the ground of making separatist propaganda according to the 8/2
article of 3713 numbered section of law and later the the mentioned
article of law was removed according to the new 4928 numbered law; it
is known that the book was also sentenced on ground of assaulting
Ataturk’s spiritual personality according to the 5816 numbered
section of law. Therefore, rejection of the request by convict’s
assignee has been decided”.
The 2nd DGM didn’t also remove the ban on the book named ‘The Huge
Plane Tree (The Kurdish Sage Musa Anter) although it doesn’t
constitute a crime within the exclosure of the 8th article anymore.
Following is the Court’s decision.
“Even the action doesn’t constitue a criminal act as a result of the
removal of the article of law organizing separatist propaganda
anymore, a book withdrawn from the circulation still constitutes
crime according to the running laws. Therefore we decided to reject
the request”.
The runner of Yurt Book Publications Unsal Ozturk, said they were not
thinking of reprinting those eight books untill the ban on the others
was removed. Ozturk called Kurds for support, pointing to that they
had to claim the books written about themselves,
Following is the list of books, the ban on which wasn’t removed:
“12 Eylul Fasizmi ve PKK Direnisi, Bilim Yontemi, Koca Cinar (Kurt
Bilgesi Musa Anter), Kurtlerin Mecburi Iskni, Ortadogu’da Devlet
Teroru, Kurt Aydini Uzerine Dusunceler, Turk Tarih Tezi, Gune? Dil
Teorisi ve Kurt Sorunu, Zihnimizdeki Karakollarin Yikilmasi Yargilama
Surecleri ve Ozgurlesme, Bilim-Resmi Ideoloji, Devlet-Demokrasi ve
Kurt Sorunu, Devletlerarasi Somurge Kurdistan, UNESCO’ya Mektup,
Ba?kaldirinin Ko?ullari, Tunceli Kanunu (Dersim Jenosidi), Kurdistan
Uzerine Emperyalist Bolusum Mucadelesi.”
And following is the list of books, the ban on which removed:
“Dogu Anadolu’nun Duzeni ve Sosyo Etnik Temelleri 1, Dogu Anadolu’nun
Duzeni ve Sosyo Etnik Temeli 2, Cumhuriyet Halk Firkasinin Tuzugu
1927 ve Kurt Sorunu, Turk Tarih Tezi Gune? Dil Teorisi ve Kurt
Sorunu; Bilimsel Yontem, Universite Ozerkligi ve Demokratik Toplum
Ilkeleri Açisindan Ismail Besikci Davasi I, Bilimsel Yontem,
Universite Ozerkligi ve Demokratik Toplum Ilkeleri Açisindan Ismail
Besikci Davasi IV Yargitay’a Basvuru, Bilimsel Yöntem Özerkligi ve
Demokratik Toplum Ilkeleri Acisindan Ismail Besikcii – 2 Savunma,
Kurt Toplumu Uzerine.” (DIHA, Maarch 21, 2004)
Death menaces by Grey Wolves against an Armenian editor in Istanbul
The latest letter of the editor Ragip ZARAKOLU who have published a
number of books on the question of minorities in Turkey:
“As you know it, Turkish fascist party MHP lost the elections and
could not enter to the Parliament. By new agitations they try keep in
ranks their disappointed and angry militants (Grey Wolves). Their
youth organization, near to Ülkü Ocaklari (Foyers of Ideal) have
started street agitations.
“In their press, they write aggressive articles against the Kurds and
the minorities. After an article about the Atatürk’s adoptive girl
Sabiha Gokcen, concerning her Armenian roots, the Turkish army made a
statement saying that it is an attack against the memory of the
founder of the Turkish Republic. After that, Turkish fascists
organized a protest in front of the Armenian newspaper AGOS, they
said: ‘Hrant Dink you are on our list’. It means that you are
threatened with death.
“One week later, still in front of Agos, ‘the Federation of fighting
against the false Armenian thesis’ put black posters on the door and
made a protest action.
“We went to visit Agos as defenders of human rights, of writers and
NGOs. Later, we wrote a petition to make a lawsuit against the
organization Ulku Ocaklari, because they uttered heinous words and
death threats.
“Last wednesday I visited them in the name of Turkish PEN Association
with Eugène Schoulgin, vice-president of International PEN, whom I
invited to accompany me.
“Tomorrow, I will take along Jose Bove and his friends at Agos by
solidarity. Thus the French farmers will support Agos.
“The same organization launched death threats against two Kurdish
singers. The socio-fascists published an article against me, because
I had written an article against the so-called leftist nationalism of
the review ‘Turk Solu’.
“The best answer is to continue to publish. Tomorrow we will
distribute our new book: ‘The role of the special organization and
the army in the Armenian genocide.’ And we will see what will
arrive.”
Haluk Kirca, the murderer of seven socialist students, freed
As four Kurdish deputies are still kept behind iron bars in Turkey, a
notorious fascist murder, Haluk Kirci, who had been convicted in
so-called Susurluk case and “Bahçelievler Massacre” case, was
released on 19 March from the prison of Ödemis as he benefited from
Execution Law. He was nick-named Idi Amin among the Grew Wolves
(militants du neo-fascist party MHP).
Kirci had been sentenced 7 times to death for Bahçelievler massacre,
during which seven students, members of the Turkish Workers’ Party
(TIP) had been killed on 8 October 1978. This sentence had been
reduced to 70 years’ imprisonment after the changes in The Law to
Fight Terrorism in 1991. After a long evasion, he was captured a few
years ago and put in prison.
The release process of Kirci developed as follows:
Mustafa Izol, who had been sentenced to 12 times to death and 20
years’ imprisonment for killing 12 persons before the coup d’etat of
12 September 1980, appealed to benefit from the adjustment laws
approved on 3 August 2002. The court ruled that he had to serve 10
years for each killing. Minister of Justice Cemil Çiçek demanded the
decision to be lifted with a written order to Court of Cassation in
July 2003. Court of Cassation ordered the release of Izol on 30
January. In his reasoned decision 1st Chamber of Court of Cassation
stressed that the sentence had to be reduced to life imprisonment and
since the offence had been committed before the year 1991 the
sentence should have been 8 years.
After this decision converting life imprisonment to 36 years’
imprisonment according to the Law on Execution of Sentences was also
changed. Chief Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation objected the
decision alleging that those convicts had to serve at least 30 years.
The application of Kirci had been awaited since November 2003 at 1st
Chamber of Court of Cassation. The chamber converted the sentence of
Kirci to life imprisonment without waiting the result of the
objection against the decision on the case of Izol. The chamber also
ruled that the execution of the sentence would be calculated by the
court. Ödemis Heavy Penal Court decided to reduce the sentence of
Kirci to 8 years and ordered the release because he had served 16
years.
If the objection of the chief prosecutor was accepted by the General
Penal Committee at the Court of Cassation, the decision concerning
Izol would be cancelled. Since the decisions of the committee are
obliging, the decision concerning Kirci would also be objected.
(Milliyet-Radikal-TIHV, , March 21, 2004)
>From Nahost News – Kurdistan Aktuell, 25 March 2004