Banned books Exhibition

and immediately banned.

V. ASSIRIAN TABOO
Assirians were also the victim of 1915 Armenian Gebocide. And their victimisation is going on, after the Golf War, first in Iraq and now in Syria. There are only 18 000 Assirians in Turkey now. Genocide taboo is affecting also Assirian community.
In 2001 Father Yusuf Akbulut was put in trial in Diyarbakir in 2000, only because he told during an interview: “The Assirians were also victimized during 1915 Genocide”.
A nationalist turkish news paper attacked to Metropolit of Assirian Orthodow Church, Isa Gürbüz, because he talked abou the difficulties of Assirian community.
At the same page, Azerian Pesident Aliev told, “Armenians are guity in front of the history”.
H. C. Armstrong, Grey Wolf Mustafa Kemal, An Intimate Study of a Dictator, published in London 1932. Immediately
banned in Turkey. First censored edition in Turkey 1955. First uncensored edition is banned and put in trial in 1995. Legal base of banning: ““The Law on the Protection of Atatürk”,
which is accepted by Turkish Parliament in 1951.

VI. OFFICIAL IDEOLOGY (KEMALISM) TABOO
Sabahattin Ali’s book, Glass Palace published 1947 and immediately banned. He was on of the iconic writers of
Turkey. It is a tale about the end of autoritarian regimes. He was killed by deep state in 1948.
Sait Faik is one of the iconic writers of turkish literature. His novel, “The Boat of Maintenance”, was published in 1944. With the demand of army, it was banned by the government
decree. Reason: To define the uniform of a soldier, “old and poor.”
Like militarism in may country it is not easy to criticize the security forces. In a national security state the security forces are untouchable.
The natural result of this inpunity.
Journalist Kürsat Istanbullu published a book, “Gözaltinda Kaybolanlar” [Forced Dissapperances in Turkey] in 1985, about the people who were disapperead after arresting by the
security forces. The book is immediately banned and becausue of death threats writer had to leave the country. Istanbullu is living in exile in Germany now. Journalist Ahmet Şık’s book “İmamın Ordusu” [ The Army of the Imam] was about the some groups in the police and was banned during the printing
process in 2011. He was arrested with another journalist Nedim Şener. Ex- police officer Hanefi Avci, wrote an otociritical
book, titled, “Haliç’te Yaşayan Simonlar /Dün Devlet Bugün Cemaat” [Yesterday State Now Sects], 2010. He was immediately arrested and stayed in the prison 4 years.
Another ex-police officer, Sabri Uzun’s book, “In / Baykal Kaseti, Dink Cinayeti ve Diğer Komplolar” [The Cave/Casettes, Dink’s Murder and Other Complots] was put in
trial in 2014. Editor of Kirmizi Kedi [Red Cat] Publishing, Haluk Hepkon had 2015 Freedom to Publish Award of TPA because of this and other trials about their publishings.

VII. MILITARISM AND POLICE STATE TABOOS
Weapons Transfers and Violations of the Laws of War in Turkey,1995, Human Rights Watch New York.
Turkish edition 1996 was put in trial, translator Ertuğrul Kürkçü and publisher Ayşe Nur Zarakolu were sentenced. But in Strasburg Turkey was sentenced because of this banning.
Nadire Mater, The Book of Turkish Soldier Mehmet, Testimonies of old veterans of Kurdish war in Turkey
in 80’s and 90’s. Published in 1999, banned immediately. Equitted in 2001, published again with court documents.
Journalist Günay Aslan’s book, “33 Bullett/History in
Mourning” was published in 1990. It was story of massacre
of 33 innocent kurdish villager in 1944 by turkish
army. In 50’s responsible general was arrested and put
in jail. The book had journalism award. But it is banned
by state security court. Günay Aslan was convicted
with 2 years prison sentence and publisher Muzaffer
Erdoğdu had 5 months prison. Günay Aslan had to
leave the country, now he lives in Germany in exile.
Different editions of Grey Wolf in UK.

Sait Faik in 40’s 

VIII. SEXUAL TABOOS
Henry Millers’s “Tropic of Cancer” was published in 1934 and banned in USA and UK and some other contries. In 50’s 
it could be printed in English in Paris.
Turkish edition published in 1985 and banned after 3rd print.
39 publisher came together and published the book again.
French poet Appolinaire’s erotical novel, The Eleven Thousand Rods, published in 1907. Turkish edition is banned in 2002 and
Publisher Rahmi Akdaş is convicted. But in 2010 European Human Rights accepted the book, “belonged to the ”European literary heritage” and cancelled the conviction.
Ahmet Altan’s novel, “Trace on the Water” is published in 1985, after 3rd print. After 2 years of trial, the books were burned. Now the book is going to be published, without 2 pages, and with the court decision.
Apollanaire Islam philosopher Saidi Nursi’s book, The Staff
of Moses, banned by Turkish Government in 1949, like some other books of him. His grave is disappeared by the Army after 1960 coup d’etat.

IX. TABOOS BASED ON RELIGION AND BELIEF
Dostojevskij’s “The Diary of A Writer” is banned by a decree of Turkish Government in the 40’s. Reason: “Insulting Turkishness”.
Published in Sweden in 1915: En skriftställares dagbok (översättning av Alfred Jensen, Bonnier, 1915)
Salman Rushti, The Satanic Verses, banned in 1988 by Ayetullah Humeyni via Fatva. In 1993 Islamist mobs attacked
the hotel, where the turkish publisher of Satanic Verses, humorist
Aziz Nesin was staying. He survived but 35 people died, between them there were poets, singers and the writers.
They were in city Sebastia for a cultural festival.
Dora Sakayan (McGill Universty), published his grandfathers 1922 Diary of Smyrna, A Journal on the Smyrna Catastrophe in 1922.
Turkish edition was published in 2004 and put in trial. Accusation: Defaming turkishness and memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Sevgi Soysal’s awarded book, “To Walk”, banned by military in 1971, with accusation of “obscenity”.
She was put in military jail because of her critical expression
about military goverment in 1972 Sevgi Soysal British writer Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion, was put in trial in
2007 and later equitted. But 2009 it put in trial second time.


X. TURKISHNESS TABOO

VIII. SEXUAL TABOOS
Henry Millers’s “Tropic of Cancer” was published in 1934 and banned in USA and UK and some other contries. In 50’s
it could be printed in English in Paris.
Turkish edition published in 1985 and banned after 3rd print.
39 publisher came together and published the book again.
French poet Appolinaire’s erotical novel, The Eleven Thousand Rods, published in 1907. Turkish edition is banned in 2002 and
Publisher Rahmi Akdaş is convicted. But in 2010 European Human Rights accepted the book, “belonged to the ”European literary heritage” and cancelled the conviction.
Ahmet Altan’s novel, “Trace on the Water” is published in 1985, after 3rd print. After 2 years of trial, the books were burned. Now the book is going to be published, without 2 pages, and with the court decision.
Apollanaire Islam philosopher Saidi Nursi’s book, The Staff
of Moses, banned by Turkish Government in 1949, like some other books of him. His grave is disappeared by the Army after 1960 coup d’etat.

IX. TABOOS BASED ON RELIGION AND BELIEF
Dostojevskij’s “The Diary of A Writer” is banned by a decree of Turkish Government in the 40’s. Reason: “Insulting Turkishness”.
Published in Sweden in 1915: En skriftställares dagbok (översättning av Alfred Jensen, Bonnier, 1915) Salman Rushti, The Satanic Verses, banned in 1988 by Ayetullah Humeyni
via Fatva. In 1993 Islamist mobs attacked the hotel, where the turkish publisher of Satanic Verses, humorist Aziz Nesin was staying. He survived but 35 people died, between them
there were poets, singers and the writers.
They were in city Sebastia for a cultural festival.
Dora Sakayan (McGill Universty), published his grandfathers 1922 Diary of Smyrna, A Journal on the Smyrna Catastrophe in 1922.
Turkish edition was published in 2004 and put in trial. Accusation: Defaming turkishness and memory of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.
Sevgi Soysal’s awarded book, “To Walk”, banned by military in 1971, with accusation of “obscenity”.
She was put in military jail because of her critical expression
about military goverment in 1972 Sevgi Soysal British writer Richard Dawkins’ book, The God Delusion, was put in trial in
2007 and later equitted. But 2009 it put in trial second time.


X. TURKISHNESS TABOO

XI. GUERILLA TABOO
Ernesto Che Guevara’s Bolivian Diary published in Turkey 1968 and immediately is banned.
Mao’s and Guevara’s artical’s on guerilla war was banned
also in 1969. Translator famous turkish poet Can Yücel was put
in jail in 1971.
Ernesto Che Guevara, Brasilian Carlos Marigella’s book
Urban Guerilla was published in France and Turkey in 1970. Banned immediately. But in France after 20 publishers published the book together and banning decision is cancelled. This solidarity became a model of civil disobedience for freedom to publish in 80’s and 90’s in Turkey.
Last wave of trials against the writers, journalists and publishers in Turkey now are “insulting” and “defaming” trials.

XII. TABOO OF POLITICIANS AND STATEMEN
Sevan Nişanyan
His “Crimes”: restoration of an old greek village and criticism both Kemalist and Islamist ideology Journalist and publisher Erol Özkoray, because of his book, “Phenomenon of Gezi / Individualization and Democracy” is accused with “defaming Prime Minister” and convicted in 2015. He is in exile as an ICORN guest writer now in Sweden.
First published in UK in 1916, Turkish translation is published in 2005. MP and ex-ambassador Şükrü Elekdağ, open a trial against publisher Muzaffer Erdoğdu and scholar Taner Akçam,
with claim of defaming himself and he won the trial and had compensation.

XIII. A WRITER IN PRISON NOW IN TURKEY
Cartoonist of Penguen Humor Weekly, Bahadır Baruter is convicted in 2015 “defaming President” with this caricature.
Baruter had 2015 Award of Turkish Publishers Assocation. His caricature book “Lombak” was banned in 2007.
World wide known writer Yaşar Kemal, had supported freedom of expression campaigns in 90’s. In 1997 he was convicted
to 1.5 years prison, because of his interview in Der Spiegel for his call ,”peaceful solution for Kurdish question”.
Court postponed this conviction, with the condition, “not to talk 5 years on the same topics.”
Novelist and journalist Ahmet Altan, is convicted in 2013, because of his critical artical. Critique is accepted as “defaming

and insulting the Prime Minister.”