ISTANBUL—Publisher Ragip Zarakolu is currently kept at the Metris high-security prison while his son Deniz Zarakolu, an editor of the Belge Publishing House, is under arrest at the Edirne Prison., reported Info-Turk.be.
In his first letter sent from prison through his lawyer Özcan Kiliç, Ragip Zarakolu said: “My arrest and the accusation of membership to an illegal organization are parts of a campaign that aims to intimidate all intellectuals and democrats of Turkey and, particularly, to deprive the Kurds of support.”
Zarakolu said that during the raid to his house the police confiscated only few books as “evidence of crime” and found nothing about his so-called relations with any organization.
The confiscated books are: Vol. 2 of Vatansiz Gazeteci (Stateless Journalist) by Dogan Özgüden, chief editor of Info-Türk; Habiba by Ender Öndes; Peace Process by Yüksel Genç; and manuscripts of three books about the Armenian Genocide and Armenian History.
He added that at the police headquarters, his credit and debit cards were confiscated.
Reminding that he is invited to speak at a conference next week in Berlin and then at other conferences and events in the U.S., Zarakolu said, “The government should provide them [the organizers] with an explanation for my arrest.”
Zarakolu concluded his letter with the following appeal:
“During my interrogation, they did not ask any question about the organization to which I was accused of being a member. They questioned me only about the books I wrote or edited for publication, and the public meetings I attended or spoke at. I think that everybody should jointly react against these arrests that have turned into a mass lynching campaign. These illegal practices should be stopped.”
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Does this look like a country fit to join the EU?
Well-the govt there is scared! running like a wild bull and arresting the defenceless- it is obvious-free speech is rare-especially there–lets help
Democracy Turkish Style, is this the type of coutry that Democratic countries want to defend?
BRAVO TO Secretary of State Hillary Clinton!
This is interesting that at the same time, where Turkey is committing all these crimes Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the keynote speaker Monday at the annual conference on U.S.-Turkey relations organized by the notorious Genocide denier group so called the American-Turkish Council.
All armenians should react to protect this intellectual who for many years put his life in danger to sourageously publish books about the Armenian Genocide. Armenians should appeal to Amnesty International to put pressure on Turkey.
Where is the obama administration to notice this human right violation?
Armenian FM should and could at least condom arrest of people who have the courage openly to speak about the fact of Armenian Genocide – but mafia like oligarchy regime as usual is busy with illegal action with promoting and boosting of immigration in the country in order to be able to win the next election – PM Tigran Sarkisan is in the opinion if people stay in Armenian they will be cause of revolution !!