PEN Sweden ask to release Erbey and Zarakolu
PEN Sweden ask to release Erbey and Zarakolu
The Swedish PEN has released a new press release calling on the Turkish authorities to release writer and lawyer Muhrarrem Erbey (in prison since December 2009) and writer and publisher Ragip Zarakolu.
The new release came as the new hearing of the trial in which Erbey is a defendant took place.
Ragip Zarakolu, a member of PEN Turkey and honorary member of Swedish PEN Centre, is a well known political activist who has been fighting for freedom of expression in Turkey for over 30 years, publishing books on issues such as minority and human rights. As one of the 50 writers chosen to represent the struggle for freedom of expression since 1960 for the Writers in Prison Committee's 50th Anniversary Campaign – Because Writers Speak Their Minds – Ragip Zarakolu's case is "emblematic of the ongoing struggles many writers, publishers and freedom of expression and human rights activists in Turkey continue to face", writes Ola Larsmo (Swedish PEN), Eugene Schoulgin (PEN International) and Mats Söderlund (Swedish Writers Association).
The writers "condemn the arrest of writer and academic Professor Büþra Ersanlý, Deniz Zarakolu, and Ragip Zarakolu on charges that appear to be related to his peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression".
They call "for a full, impartial investigation into the arrests of other academics arrested under anti-terror legislation, including Aziz Tunç, Ayes Berktay and A. Dursun Yildiz".
And they also call on "the Turkish authorities to live up to their commitments to protect freedom of expression under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".
The new release came as the new hearing of the trial in which Erbey is a defendant took place.
Ragip Zarakolu, a member of PEN Turkey and honorary member of Swedish PEN Centre, is a well known political activist who has been fighting for freedom of expression in Turkey for over 30 years, publishing books on issues such as minority and human rights. As one of the 50 writers chosen to represent the struggle for freedom of expression since 1960 for the Writers in Prison Committee's 50th Anniversary Campaign – Because Writers Speak Their Minds – Ragip Zarakolu's case is "emblematic of the ongoing struggles many writers, publishers and freedom of expression and human rights activists in Turkey continue to face", writes Ola Larsmo (Swedish PEN), Eugene Schoulgin (PEN International) and Mats Söderlund (Swedish Writers Association).
The writers "condemn the arrest of writer and academic Professor Büþra Ersanlý, Deniz Zarakolu, and Ragip Zarakolu on charges that appear to be related to his peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression".
They call "for a full, impartial investigation into the arrests of other academics arrested under anti-terror legislation, including Aziz Tunç, Ayes Berktay and A. Dursun Yildiz".
And they also call on "the Turkish authorities to live up to their commitments to protect freedom of expression under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights".
