31 October 2011
Alert
Prominent publisher, academic taken into police custody
Incident details
Arrest, Detention
Ragip Zarakolu, PublisherBüşra Ersanlı, Academic
Forty-one other people were also taken into custody on Friday during the operation.
Professor Ersanli is a constitutional law expert and a member of the BDP Assembly. She is an academic at the Faculty of Political Science and International Relations of Istanbul's Marmara University and a member of the BDP Constitutional Commission.
Ragip Zarakolu is a well-known human rights activist and director of Belge Publishing House in Turkey. He is also chair of the Turkish Publishers Association's Freedom to Publish Committee. His son, Deniz Zarakolu, editor of the Belge Publishing House, was arrested on October 4.
According to press reports, the number of detainees will likely increase as the operation is still under way.
BDP co-chair Selahattin Demirtas strongly criticized the new wave of detentions on Friday.
"We will not be able to talk about a healthy Constitution-making process if we go on like this. We will have no party member who can join efforts for [drafting] a new Constitution".
Source:
IPS Communication Foundation
Faikpasa Sokak, Faikpasa Apt. No. 37, Kat 3
34425 Beyoglu, Istanbul
Turkey
bia (@) bianet.org
Phone: +90 212 2511503
Fax: +90 212 2511609
From other IFEX members
Publisher and leading Turkish PEN member Ragip Zarakolu arrested (PEN American Center)Ersanli and Zarakolu formally arrested (BIANET)
Turkish Freedom to Publish hero jailed: IPA demands immediate release of publisher Ragıp Zarakolu (IPA)
IFJ condemns arrest of Ragip Zarakolu as new press freedom campaign is launched in Turkey (IFJ)
Arrests expose flawed justice system (Human Rights Watch)
Writer and academic Ragip Zarakolu formally charged alongside Professor Büşra (WiPC)
Judge says publishing freedom pioneer must remain in detention (RSF)
Publisher detained (IPI)
IPA and PEN International demand immediate release of publisher Ragıp Zarakolu (IPA)
RSS