ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Turkey’s Kurdish Avesta Publishing House was shortlisted Tuesday for an international award “recognizing exemplary courage in upholding the freedom to publish.”

The International Publishers Association (IPA) announced on Tuesday that they have shortlisted four publishing houses in Turkey, Malaysia, Vietnam and Pakistan for their 2020 IPA Prix Voltaire award which recognizes “exemplary courage in upholding the freedom to publish and in enabling others to exercise their right to freedom of expression.”



Istanbul-based Avesta Publishing House is among the four candidates. Founded in 1995, it has faced pressure from the Turkish government. Their Diyarbakir office was closed in 2016 after an arson attack burned 3000 of their books.



Most of the 700 books it has published are in Kurdish, Avesta owner Abdullah Keskin told Rudaw English late Wednesday. However, it also publishes in Turkish, English and French.



“We mostly publish Kurdish books and we also publish in other languages, like Turkish, about Kurds," Keskin added.



However, a number of these books have been banned by Ankara, causing financial issues for the publishing house.



"About 20 of our books were banned 10-12 years after [our] foundation. We were also fined and sentenced but between 2007-2018 there were no [legal] cases against us," said Keskin.

"These are pre-Republic research and historical [books], not political books," he added.



This is not the first time Avesta’s work has been recognized, having previously received local and international awards.



Keskin hopes the award will have an impact on Ankara.



"This will have an impact on the Turkish government and courts. We are very delighted," he said.



Kristenn Einarsson, head of the IPA’s Freedom to Publish Committee, said the shortlisted publishers are those “who put themselves at great risk to bring books they deem valuable to readers.”

“We celebrate their bravery and thank them for being an inspiration to publishers around the world.”



The winner will be announced in Norway from May 28-30.