Courts Pressure Translators Too

Publisher Ragip Zarakolu's case where he's tried with 13.5 years imprisonment for "insulting the republic, its institutions and Ataturk" by publishing two books of Armenian writers, continued on December 14.

The judge postponed the case, ordering the translator of the books to be brought to court. This is seen as another attempt to try translators in freedom of expression cases.

Shafak and Tirman's translators

Zarakolu stands trial because of publishing Prof. Dora Sakaryan's "The Memorials of an Armenian Doctor" and George Jerjian's "Reality Will Set Us Free".

Prosecution demands 7.5 years in prison for "insulting and ridiculing the Republic and the State" of the first case and 6 years for "insulting Turkishness and the armed forces" for the latter.

Translators Lutfi Taylan Tosun and Aysel Yildirim are being prosecuted alongside Aram Publishing House owner Fatih Tas for the Turkish language copy of John Tirman's book "Spoils of War: The Human Cost of America's Arms Trade".

Writer Elif Shafak's translator Aslı Bicen was also tried when her book "Father and Bastard" put onto court with the claim of "insulting Turkishness".

Zarakolu's cases will continue in March 15.(EO/EU)