ATIK | Confederation of Workers from Turkey in Europe | AHM-ATIK News Center
TURKEY | 09 – 02 – 2011 | The Publishers Association demands the release of journalist Zengin from the Işçi-Köylü newspaper after one year in detention. Suzan Zengin is also a human rights activaist and translator of minority and genocide issues. Her first hearing was on 26 August. Next trial will be in 15 February. Spokesperson Zarakolu criticized, “As long as the Anti-Terror Law is in force, journalists will be treated arbitrarily”.
Suzan Zengin, İşçi-Köylü (‘Workers-Peasants) newspaper representative of the Kartal office (east of Istanbul) has been detained. The first hearing of her next case is scheduled for 15 February. Ragıp Zarakolu, President of the Freedom of Publishing Committee of the Turkish Publishers Association (TYB), said that Zengin should be released. The Court postponed next trial to 15 February.
The association hold a press conference in August in the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) to draw attention to the situation of Zengin and also to demand the release of writer Erdoğan Akhanlı and Suzan Zengin. Both are the writers of Belge International Publishing House , which focused on human and minority rights issues.. German citizen Akhanlı returned to Turkey 18 years later. He was arrested at the airport and detained in Metris Prison (Istanbul). After a succesful campaign, Akhanli was reliesed in 8 December. Later he was expelled from Turkay.
Zarakolu criticized that the Anti-Terror Law (TMY) is used to oppress the socialist and the Kurdish press:
“A campaign against the TMY has to be initiated. As long as the TMY is in force as it is, arbitrary applications will be imposed on journalists. Zengin is being detained for more than a year without a reason.”
Suzan Zengin was working lastly for the translation of Berlin Conference, about “Ethnic Cleansing Anatolian Christians during Frst World” War.(Litt Verlag, 2004). She translated before “An Anthology of Cyprus Greek Literature“; also “An Anthology of Assirian Folk Stories and Songs“; Karl Otten’s “Albania 1912″: “An anthology of Thessaloniki Stories in Greek Literature”Zengin: They wanted Suzan to lose influence
The husband of journalist Suzan Zengin, Bekir Zengin, talked about his wife’s detention:
“Suzan was detained in particular because of her influence in Kartal. They wanted her to lose that influence and to leave the area. She was detained despite a lack of evidence. When they raided our house they told her not to take any personal belongings with her. We understood that she would be in detention for a while”.
Necati Abay from the Solidarity Platform for Detained Journalists (TGDP) “I call Oktay Ekşi, Orhan Erinç and Ercan Ipekçi. They should show Suzan Zengin the same sensitivity as they are showing the two journalists who are detained in Silivri (west of Istanbul) in the scope of the Ergenekon trial”.
Abay later on said that according to his figures, 37 journalists are currently detained in prison.
“Seven people from the Azadiya Welat newspaper are in detention, seven from Atılım [Advance] newspaper, six people from the DİHA news agency, two from Gündem [Agenda] newspaper, two from Işçi-Köylü newspaper, and one person each from Özgür [Free] Radio, Özgür Gençlik [Free Youth] magazine, Gün [Day] TV, Özgür Halk [Free People] Magazine, Radio Dünya [World], Aram Publishing, Emek and Adalet [Labour and Justice], Eylül [September] magazine, Yürüyüş [March] magazine, Devrimci Demokrasi [Revolutionary Democracy] newspaper, Devrimci Hareket [Revolutionary Movement] magazine, Kadının Umundunun Rengi [Colour of Woman’s Hope] newspaper and the Odak [Focus] magazine”.
Toğay Okay from the Isçi-Köylü newspaper and Yıldız Uygun from Özgür University reiterated the claim to release Zengin.
Zengin’s first hearing was scheduled for 10.00 am on Thursday morning (26 August) at the Beşiktaş (Istanbul) Next trial will be 15 February 10th High Criminal Court. Another press statement was released in front of the Court House at 9.30 am. (BT/VK)
