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ZARAKOLU NOMINATED FOR NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
BIAnet.org
Feb 6 2012
Turkey
Swedish parliamentarians nominated arrested journalist, publisher,
writer and human rights advocator Ragıp Zarakolu for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
Oslo - BÄ°A News Center06 February 2012, Monday Members of Parliament
of the Swedish Left Party Amineh Kakabaveh, Jens Holm, Bengt Berg, Siv
Holma, Marianne Berg and deputies of the Green Party Jan Lindholm and
Valter Mutt applied to the Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo to nominate
Ragıp Zarakolu for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
In their application to the committee, the members of the Swedish
Parliament emphasized that Zarakolu was an internationally recognized
human rights defender who became a symbol for press freedom and
freedom of expression.
The application also mentioned several awards given to publisher,
writer and human rights advocator Zarakolu for his efforts in this
context.
A news article in the Radikal daily also referred to numerous prison
sentences handed down to the publisher on the grounds of books on the
Armenian genocide, the Kurdish question, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and
Islam - topics considered taboos in Turkey - published by Zarakolu
together with his deceased wife AyÅ~_e Zarakolu.
Despite all pressure and attacks, Zarakolu continued defending freedom
of thought and contributed to the reconciliation between cultures.
The Swedish parliamentarians put forward that Zarakolu became a target
of the state due to his efforts. "If Turkey established a commission
on law and reconciliation one day, Zarakolu should become head of
this commission", the deputies stated.
Ragıp Zarakolu was arrested on 1 November 2011 in the context of
an operation against the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK), an
organization founded by Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned leader of the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) recognized a terrorist organization by
the European Union and other countries. The International Publishers
Association (IPA) criticized his arrest and announced, "He does not
deserve imprisonment but the Nobel prize".
Zarakolu received rewards of the IPA in 1998 and 2008; in 1995 and
2007 he was awarded by the Turkey Publishers Association; in 2003
he was awarded by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and in 2010 he
received the National Library Award of Armenia. (AS/VK)
From: A. Papazian
BIAnet.org
Feb 6 2012
Turkey
Swedish parliamentarians nominated arrested journalist, publisher,
writer and human rights advocator Ragıp Zarakolu for the Nobel
Peace Prize.
Oslo - BÄ°A News Center06 February 2012, Monday Members of Parliament
of the Swedish Left Party Amineh Kakabaveh, Jens Holm, Bengt Berg, Siv
Holma, Marianne Berg and deputies of the Green Party Jan Lindholm and
Valter Mutt applied to the Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo to nominate
Ragıp Zarakolu for the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize.
In their application to the committee, the members of the Swedish
Parliament emphasized that Zarakolu was an internationally recognized
human rights defender who became a symbol for press freedom and
freedom of expression.
The application also mentioned several awards given to publisher,
writer and human rights advocator Zarakolu for his efforts in this
context.
A news article in the Radikal daily also referred to numerous prison
sentences handed down to the publisher on the grounds of books on the
Armenian genocide, the Kurdish question, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and
Islam - topics considered taboos in Turkey - published by Zarakolu
together with his deceased wife AyÅ~_e Zarakolu.
Despite all pressure and attacks, Zarakolu continued defending freedom
of thought and contributed to the reconciliation between cultures.
The Swedish parliamentarians put forward that Zarakolu became a target
of the state due to his efforts. "If Turkey established a commission
on law and reconciliation one day, Zarakolu should become head of
this commission", the deputies stated.
Ragıp Zarakolu was arrested on 1 November 2011 in the context of
an operation against the Union of Kurdish Communities (KCK), an
organization founded by Abdullah Ocalan, imprisoned leader of the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) recognized a terrorist organization by
the European Union and other countries. The International Publishers
Association (IPA) criticized his arrest and announced, "He does not
deserve imprisonment but the Nobel prize".
Zarakolu received rewards of the IPA in 1998 and 2008; in 1995 and
2007 he was awarded by the Turkey Publishers Association; in 2003
he was awarded by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture and in 2010 he
received the National Library Award of Armenia. (AS/VK)
From: A. Papazian