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EFJ Condemns Arrest of Ragıp Zarakolu as
New Press Freedom Campaign is Launched in Turkey
3.11.2011 |
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November 3, 2011
BRUSSELS, Belgium,— The European group
the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the
European group of the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) on Wednesday condemned the
arrest of Ragıp Zarakolu, Turkish
columnist and writer.
"The arrest of a journalist and well-known
intellectual under the pretext of terroristic
activities is clearly arbitrary and abusive," said
EFJ President Arne König. "It shows how eager the
government is to muzzle any critical voice by using
anti-democratic methods. Unless there is clear
evidence showing the allegations of the Turkish
authorities, we call for the immediate release of
Mr. Zarakolu and of all other Turkish journalists
currently detained in jail".
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Ragıp Zarakolu arrested in Turkey in KCK probe. |
Mr. Ragip Zarakolu was arrested on Friday 28 October
with 40 other people during a vast "anti-terrorism"
operation conducted by units of Turkish special
forces. Mr. Zarakolu's son, Deniz Zarakolu, editor
of the Belge Publishing House, had been arrested
earlier on 4 October.
Mr. Ragıp Zarakolu is a writer, a publisher and a
columnist at Evrensel daily. In addition to
newspapers' articles, Mr. Ragip Zarakolu has also
published several books on the Armenian genocide and
how it is treated in modern Turkey, including under
the angle of freedom of expression.
The EFJ affiliate, the Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikası
(TGS - Journalists' Union of Turkey) also strongly
condemned the arrest of Zarakolu.
Together with the TGS, the EFJ has launched an
international postcard campaign to express
solidarity with jailed Turkish journalists. The
campaign calls on people to send on the Turkish
national holiday,www.ekurd.net
the Bairam, a greeting card with best wishes to the
66 colleagues currently in Turkish prisons, asking
again for the immediate and unconditional release.
Everyone is invited to join this solidarity campaign
for Turkish journalists in jail by sending a
postcard before 6th November to one or several
journalists whose names are available here: http://europe.ifj.org/en/pages/turkey-campaign-set-journalists-free
The EFJ will also conduct a special fact finding
mission on press freedom in Istanbul on 22-24
November.
For more information contact the EFJ at 32 2 235
2200
The EFJ represents over 260,000 journalists in over
than 30 countries worldwide.
Copyright ©, respective
author or news agency,
ifj.org | International Federation of
Journalists
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