BRITISH JOURNALIST IS READY TO UPHOLD HIS STATEMENTS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN TURKISH COURTS

Arminfo
2007-03-28 11:21:00

The British journalist Robert Fisk is ready to uphold his statements
on the Armenian Genocide in the Turkish court, the Turkish Daily News
reports, indicating the anxieties of Turkish publishers which are
hesitating to publish the latest book penned by R. Fisk "The Great
War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle East", one of the
chapters of which is about the alleged genocide of Armenians at the
hands of the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Turkish publishers are hesitating to publish the book because of
concerns over the possibility of legal charges under infamous Article
301 of the penal code that makes it a crime to denigrate Turkish
identity or Turkishness.

Fisk’s book is invaluable in terms of investigative journalism. Of
course, I want to publish it but I have hesitations because a court
case might be filed against the book under Article 301 due to its
reference to the Armenian question in one of the chapters, Osman
Akynhay, editor of Agora Publishing House.

The book "The Great War for Civilization: The Conquest of the Middle
East" is made up of 24 chapters and is published in 15 different
languages. "The fact that Fisk’s book, which is easily published
and sold in Europe, cannot be published in a country that aspires
to join the EU is not a problem of mine individually but a problem
of Turkey. The Turkish government and Parliament are responsible for
safeguarding the freedom of expression," Akynhay said.

The Agora Publishing House bid for Fisk’s book and won the contract
but the publication of the book has been postponed several times. The
first postponement came in the summer due to reasons nothing to do
with the book or the alleged genocide. He said the publishers later
wanted a guarantee that he would defend them in court if they were
arrested and charged under Article 301 due to publishing the book. "I
told them I’ll be in Istanbul and stand in court and go to prison
with them if they are in trouble".

But instead of publicity and media hype, the Turkish publishers wanted
to publish the book quietly, said Fisk, as if it were some kind of
pornography. He said that this is a serious book and you publish
it properly".