Radio Netherlands, Netherlands
Freedom to Publish Prize for Turkish journalist
Persistence in the face of constant harrassment by Eric Beauchemin
19-09-2008
Controversial Turkish journalist and publisher Ragip Zarakolu has been
awarded the International Freedom to Publish prize. He has been a
thorn in the side of the Turkish state for nearly 40 years, publishing
books on taboo subjects such as the Armenian genocide, the Kurdish
issue and Turkey’s Greek minority.
Ragip Zarakolu receiving the IFA prize in Amsterdam
(picture: Kaj ter Borgh)
The prize is awarded by the International Publishers Association for
exemplary courage in upholding freedom of expression and freedom to
publish. Ragip Zarakolu received the award in Amsterdam, this year’s
World Book Capital. Ragip Zarakolu and his late wife in 1977 set up a
publishing house in Istanbul that has been the target of Turkish
censorship laws ever since. They constantly tried to create more space
for democracy and freedom in Turkey.
One of the most controversial books they published was about Kurdistan
in 1990, when the region was embroiled in a guerrilla war between the
Turkish state and the PKK separatists. The book was immediately banned
by the authorities.
"They came to the publishing house and wanted to take all the copies,
but we distributed all the copies before they came. We made 3000
copies. They were astonished. There was nothing they could do. So
later they charged us and began a trial. The first trial was at the
Serious Crimes Court. And we were accused of inciting Kurds to rebel
and my late wife went to prison in 1994 for six months."
Controversy
The prison sentences and the constant harassment from the Turkish
state did not deter the Zarakolus. Two years later they published a
book about the Armenian genocide, an even more controversial subject
in Turkey.
"Our reaction was to publish more books about same topics because they
charge us. They accuse us of a crime. So we try to understand what is
the crime in reality: to publish a book or the topics inside the
books. And if there is a crime inside the books, who are the real
criminals. If you publish a book about the Armenian genocide and you
were accused, you must show what the Armenian genocide is, who is
responsible and who is really criminal."
Persistence
Earlier this year, Zarakolu was found guilty of translating and
publishing yet another book about the Armenian genocide. He seems to
relish these run-ins with the authorities, and the International
Publishers Association has now recognised his persistence by awarding
him the Freedom to Publish prize, an award his late wife won exactly
ten years ago.
"You feel your struggle is accepted. I’m proud to take it because I
love books. So I feel a nice tiredness because of that prize. Also I
feel shame because it is a crime to be a publisher sometimes in
Turkey. It’s a shame for my country. So I will go on to publish, to
find new titles, to open new doors, new windows. So I will go
on. There’s always potential dangers. I like that. As a publisher,
nobody can put borders on my work."