International Publishers Association says Turkish government desperate to avoid scrutiny and possible criticism

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The International Publishers Association on Tuesday condemned what it called “blatant political censorship” in Turkey, saying three journalists’ books had been pulled from shelves on court orders.



“Books by Hasan Cemal, Tugce Tatari and Muslum Yucel will be removed from sale merely because they were found in the possession of people arrested on suspicion of being members of various outlawed political parties,” the Geneva-based IPA said in a statement.

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Another journalist, Ahmet Sik, has been fined for allegedly defaming the transport minister in a book, said the worldwide industry body, which considers fighting censorship to be part of its mission.

The Turkish Publishers Association also criticised the court move against the journalists, with its chief Metin Celal saying it revealed “the current regime’s utter fear of words, because they realise that books are more powerful than weapons”.

“We know that these authors are not terrorists nor do they write works in favour of terrorist organisations,” Celal said in the statement.

“These actions damage our faith in the independence of the judiciary and only serve to perpetuate the worsening atmosphere of violence and oppression in our country.”

IPA chief Jose Borghino said the crackdown fitted “the pattern of a regime desperate to avoid scrutiny and possible criticism”.

There is growing concern over media freedom in Turkey, with rising numbers of journalists and members of the public facing legal proceedings on allegations of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Media rights watchdog RSF ranked Turkey 149th out of 180 in its 2015 press freedom index in October, warning of a “dangerous surge in censorship”.