IPA warns against the extradition of the Turkish publisher Ragip Zarakolu from Sweden
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
See also: A 2022 IPA Prix Voltaire Shortlist has been arrested in Thailand
Einarsson: ‘Commitment to the freedom to publish’
In another issue related to the International Publishers Association (IPA) Prix Voltaire, the world publishing organization’s Freedom to Publish leader has revealed that the 2008 Voltaire winner, Turkish publisher Ragip Zarakolu, is the subject of a extradition request from Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government.
The news is linked to the effort to give official invitations to Sweden and Finland to join NATO.
As you may know, the negotiations involved NATO member Turkey. And like Thomas Grove and Daniel Michaels sign Wall Street Journal writes, “NATO’s political agreement itself followed a three-way agreement reached on Tuesday between Turkey, Sweden and Finland on the two countries’ accession following previous objections regarding their membership of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.”
While the deal made on June 28 put the Swedish and Finnish tenders for membership on a firmer footing, IPA points to the state-run Turkish news agency Anadolu based in Ankara, which refers to in an article from 19 May to Sweden “protect terrorists” and lists the publisher Zarakolu among the alleged terrorists.
It seems that Ankara has at some point made an effort to involve publisher Ragip Zarakolu, along with others, in extradition attempts as part of the latest agreement to enable Finland and Sweden to take their first steps towards NATO membership. , a process. accelerated, of course, by the ongoing, unprovoked warfare waged by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine.
In a statement today, IPA Freedom to Publish Committee chairman Kristenn Einarsson was quoted as saying: “Ragip Zarakolu is a Turkish publisher with a long-standing commitment to the freedom to publish.
“That commitment led to his imprisonment, his publishing house was threatened with closure, his exile to Sweden and continued harassment through the abuse of Interpol’s Red Notice system.
“We fully expect Ragip’s freedom, in Sweden, to be protected and not used as a pawn in international diplomacy.”
As Publishing perspective Readers remember that we covered some of the harassment that Zarakolu has encountered – and Einarsson’s objection to it – 2018.
Zarakolu: In Sweden since 2012
IPA’s office in Geneva today provides this background about Zarakolu, a Turkish publisher born in 1948.
“Since he started his publishing house Belge with his wife Ayse Nur in 1977, he has been subjected to harassment by the Turkish authorities.
“Zarakolu refused to abandon his campaign for freedom of thought, striving for ‘an attitude of respect for different thoughts and cultures to spread in Turkey’.
“Over the years, the accusations of the Turkish authorities against Ragıp Zarakolu and his wife have resulted in imprisonment, confiscation of his pension, confiscation and destruction of books, and the imposition of high fines, which jeopardizes the survival of the Belgian publisher.
“In October 2011, Zarakolu was arrested along with his son Deniz and charged with” leadership of an armed organization “and” leadership of a terrorist organization “under the Turkish Penal Code and the country’s” anti-terrorism law “as part of a crackdown on publishers, writers and journalists was considered a member of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).
“Zarakolu sought exile in Sweden after being released pending trial. The two judges who approved his release were arrested and replaced with new judges who issued an order to take his statement. “
An article by Ayça Söylemez in the newsletter for journalists’ rights English Bianet on 15 September 2020, noted that the European Court of Human Rights had ruled that Zarakolu’s prison violated his right to liberty and freedom of expression. Turkey was ordered to compensate Zarakolu EUR 5,600 in non-pecuniary damages ($ 6,613).
In March 2012, the Assyrian Cultural Center in Stockholm awarded the Assyrian Cultural Prize to Ragıp Zarakolu, then in prison, for advocating for human and minority rights in Turkey and Europe.
This is Publishing Perspective’s 125th price-related report produced in the 126 days of publication since our business began in January 2022.
More from Publishing Perspectives on freedom of expression can be found here and more about freedom of publication can be found here. More about the Prix Voltaire can be found here, more about international publishing and book prize programs can be found here, and more about us about the International Publishers Association can be found here. More about Kristenn Einarsson’s work can be found here.
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