Prominent publisher, writer, and activist Ragip Zarakolu, who was arrested last week as part of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) case, has been sent to a high-security prison ahead of his trial.
Zarakolu will be incarcerated at an F-type prison that hosts “dangerous convicts and prisoners” in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, along with 17 other suspects who were also arrested for their alleged links to the KCK.
The publisher’s lawyer, Ozcan Kilic, told the Hurriyet Daily News that he had issued a petition to the Justice Ministry for his client to be imprisoned with his son Deniz Zarakolu, who is also under arrest in an F-type prison in the Thracian province of Edirne.
“The laws recognize this right, but the procedure is likely to drag on, possibly for months,” Kilic said, adding that convicts in F-type prisons were placed either in solitary cells or cells that contain up to three people at most.
Zarakolu, 65, has numerous health problems, Kilic said, and many are worried by the prospect of the human rights activist being forced to serve time in a penitentiary where the medical treatment of patients isn’t a priority.
“Every act can turn into a disciplinary matter. Bans could be issued on letters, books, journals, and, even more importantly, on meetings with visitors. There are a great many lawsuits filed in the European Court of Human Rights for this reason,” Kilic said.
Zarakolu, who is also the recipient of numerous prestigious international awards, was questioned in a makeshift hut established next to the Besiktas Courthouse in Istanbul along with 48 other suspects in the case, including Marmara University Professor Busra Ersanli.
Kilic said his client would likely have to await trial for months under the difficult conditions of an F-type prison, even though he has not been convicted of any crime. The entire trial process could take up to a year, he explained.
Zarakolu was arrested for giving a public speech on the Kurdish issue in Istanbul in 2010 at the political academy of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). A secret witness informed against him, according to Kilic.
Ersanli will be incarcerated at the Bakirkoy Prison in Istanbul, under conditions that are slightly better, Kilic said.
Ersanli, who was arrested after lecturing at the BDP’s academy, and who is also being represented in court by Kilic, was not sent to an F-type prison because there are no F-type prisons specifically for women.
21 Detained in Anti-Terror Operations
A total of 21 people were detained Nov. 7 for allegedly conducting Molotov cocktail attacks in Istanbul on Oct. 29.
The 21 were charged with attacking several spots in the city’s Zeytinburnu district, including the district office of the ruling Justice and Democracy Party (AKP) and a vehicle of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
The group also clashed with police. The 21 were detained following police operations in Zeytinburnu and were charged with having ties with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the agency reported. Police were searching for 25 people in the wake of the Zeytinburnu disturbances; four people are reportedly still being sought, according to Hurriyet.
Zarakolu Nominated for Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders
On Nov. 8, Ragip Zarakolu was nominated for the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders.
The award aims to extend recognition and protective publicity to those who are currently involved in frontline work for the promotion and protection of human rights. It also aims to encourage individuals and organizations currently working for others’ rights in conditions hostile to fundamental human rights. Special account is taken of those who have demonstrated an active record of combating human rights violations through courageous and innovative means.
The selection of the winning candidates is made by the Jury of the Martin Ennals Foundation and announced in early May.
For more information, visit www.martinennalsaward.org.
A Message from Ersanli in Prison
Prof. Busra Ersanli this week sent a message from prison through Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) MP Hasip Kaplan. Kaplan, along with other four BDP MPs and Co-Chairs Gultan Kisanak and Selahattin Demirtas, recently visited the Bakirkoy Prison where Ersanli is being held, along with approximately 80 others detained during recent raids for their alleged connection with the KCK (Kurdish Communities Confederation) operation. Below is her message.
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“During the search in my house, police looked for a document consisting of words ‘autonomy’ and ‘Kurd’ for hours. And they wanted to search the house of my neighbor when they couldn’t find any documents, but lawyers prevented them.
“I wasn’t asked anything about ‘separatism’ or ‘rebellion training for people.’ When they asked me ‘why I became a member to the BDP,’ I answered ‘because I saw the hope and horizon for the future only there.’
“They asked me about the lessons I gave at the Politics Academy and I answered that I gave lessons of political culture, political system, and political parties in Turkey. These subjects are already written in my book published by KA-DER (Association of Supporting and Training of Woman Candidates). What have these got to do with ‘separatism and rebellion’?
“I told my lawyers to open a case against all slanders, threats, and insults against me. I also thank all academicians who give support.”
Mr. Zarakolu is imprisoned at Kocaeli prison.
You can assist him by deluging the prison with cards and letters of support addressed to him so that the prison knows the whole world is watching this situation. Write to:
Regip Zarakolu
2 No’lu Ceza Infaz Kurumu
Kocaeli, Turkey
What are Armenians doing about this? What an opportunity to stand up for a Turk who accepts the genocide!
Thank you jda. It is not enough for us to intellectualize these issues. We must act as individuals and collectively as a community. Zarakolu is a political prisoner caught up in the “anti-terror” umbrella that gives the oppressive government the excuse to imprison. The infrastructure of the country empowers the government to respond to what we would call simply freedom of speech in this country. Many of the Kurds do not have political goals… they simply want to practice their culture in freedom. The government’s intolerance is pushing them towards political ideals. Then the government is free to respond. Sounds like an historic replay.