Throughout April, Orhan Pamuk, one of Turkey?s most internationally acclaimed authors, has suffered threats from extremists calling for his books to be seized from public libraries and, in some cases, burned. At the same time, Adolf Hitler?s ?Mein Kampf? is once again a best-seller in Turkey. From International PEN, HRH has received the following appeal on Pamuk?s behalf. (25-APR-05)

Pamuk is under attack for comments he made last month to a Swiss newspaper which have been interpreted by his detractors as anti-Turkish. Debate in the Turkish media has been fierce, with articles both supporting Pamuk and condemning him.

Turkish law still flawed on freedom of expression
International PEN, the world association of writers, is dismayed that these blatant attacks against one of Turkey?s most famous writers have not been condemned by the Turkish authorities. Their silence is puzzling given that the Turkish government has taken measures to redress through legislative change its past poor record on human rights. Only last week, the Turkish government ordered the postponement of the enactment of a new penal code, set to come into force on 1 April, until 1 June: this move is to allow for consideration of criticism by non-governmental groups, including PEN, that the law still contains significant flaws, notably on the protection of freedom of expression.

Attacks go unpunished
Yet in the same week the Turkish press reported that Orhan Pamuk?s books had been burned during a “Respect the Flag”  rally in Bilecik some 150 km south of Istanbul, in protest at the burning a few days earlier of the Turkish flag during Kurdish new year festivities.Soon after this incident, a local administrator in Isparta, south central Turkey, ordered the seizure of Pamuk?s works from all public libraries, [it was subsequently discovered that no library in Isparta has Pamuk?s work on its shelves]. The fact that the seizure order was quickly cancelled by the Regional Director of Isparta, who told the press on 30 March that the directive had been “mistaken”, does little to assuage concerns that a climate of hostility is emerging against writers who comment on “taboo” topics. It would appear that those who attack writers and their works in Turkey can do so with impunity.

Trade unions and other associations participating
On 2 April, a number of Isparta-based trade unions and associations held a demonstration against Pamuk during which his photograph was torn to pieces and thrown into litter boxes. The demonstrators called on the prosecuting authorities to bring Pamuk to trial, threatening to hold further rallies in the coming days. There appears to be little likelihood of an early easing of the climate of hostility and threat against Pamuk.

Direct threats against Pamuk?s life
Inscribed in a memorial to those who died at the Dachau concentration camp during World War Two are the words of the German poet Heinrich Heine written over a century earlier: “Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings.” With this warning in mind, it is essential that the Turkish authorities at the highest level publicly condemn the attacks against Orhan Pamuk?s works, making it clear that the seizure and destruction of books will not be tolerated. PEN also calls on the Turkish authorities to use the two-month postponement of the enactment of the new penal code to remove from its remit all articles that allow for writers to be brought before the courts for having written on topics or expressing views that are contentious.

Please send appeals calling for official condemnation of the attacks against Orhan Pamuk to:

Prime Minister Racep Tayyip Erdogan
TC Easbaskanlik
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: +90 312 417 0476

Cemil Cicek
Minister of Justice
TC Adalet Bakanligi
Ankara
Turkey
Fax: + 90 312 417 3954

Similar appeals should be sent to the Turkish Embassy in your own country.

For further information please contact Sara Whyatt at the Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN, 9/10 Charterhouse Buildings, London EC1M 7AT, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0) 207 253 3226 Fax: +44 (0) 207 253 5711 email: swhyatt@wipcpen.org