Ankara High Criminal Court No.2 has issued writer serving a life sentence in the Izmir Şakran Type T Closed Prison No.2 another 3 years in prison for “terrorist propaganda” in his book about the Roboskî Massacre “Sorgulen Şeve” (Red Roses of the Night). The court also fined the owner of Sitav Publishing Qahir Bateyî Öztürün 33.000 Liras.

Öztürün stated that the writer sent the book by mail which goes through a reading commission in prison and said everything had been sent to them through official channels. Öztürün added that the fine was “unlawful”, and said the following to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA):

“We have been fined 33.000 Liras for turning writing that we have received with the approval of the prison administration into a book. The reason for the fine is said to be insulting the Chief of Staff. There is nothing in that book that is insulting to the Chief of Staff. I believe the book was misrepresented when translated for the court. Even if a sentence is issued, it can’t be for the publisher. We have appealed this verdict for two years, but have received nothing. We don’t accept this unlawfulness.”

“SIGNIFICANT TIMING”

Author of the book Mehmet Ali Yaşa pointed out that the sentence was issued on December 27, 2017 and said: “The Ankara High Criminal Court No.2 has issued this sentence on the anniversary of the Roboskî Massacre, which is some significant timing.”

ABOUT THE WRITER AND THE BOOK

Yaşa has written an emotive play, “Sorgulê Şevê”, about the Roboskî Massacre, relaying the massacre through the language of theater and at the same time presenting the sociological structure of Roboskî to the reader. Yaşa has served 24 years out of the 30 years that his life sentence implies, and is currently in the Izmir Şakran Prison.