Turkish Publisher Zarakolu Appears In Court

TURKISH PUBLISHER ZARAKOLU APPEARS IN COURT

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 1, 2011 – 10:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Publisher and human rights activist Ragıp Zarakolu
and constitutional law professor BuÅ~_ra Ersanlı were referred to a
court to testify to a prosecutor following their detention during an
operation against the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), an umbrella
group that encompasses the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
and its affiliated organizations, Today’s Zaman reported.

They were taken to the BeÅ~_iktaÅ~_ Courthouse on Monday, October 31,
along with 48 others who were detained on Friday by counterterrorism
units of the Istanbul Police Department.

Ersanlı, a member of the Peace and Democracy Party’s (BDP) Party
Council and Constitution Commission, and Belge Publishing House
representative Zarakolu were to be interrogated by a prosecutor
following a medical examination at the courthouse.

The KCK is being accused of attempting to establish an alternative
state mechanism and terrorizing locals in the country’s predominantly
Kurdish areas. Most of the accused face charges of membership of
and/or aiding and abetting a terrorist group. The investigation
into its activities is being conducted by Istanbul Public Prosecutor
Adnan Cimen.

The accusations leveled against Zarakolu and Ersanlı were still
unclear as of Monday.

The Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Confederation of
Pubic Sector Trade Unions (KESK) held a joint protest against the
detentions. A group of about 40 people, members and representatives of
the CHP and KESK, gathered in front of the BeÅ~_iktaÅ~_ Courthouse. CHP
Istanbul branch President Oguz Kaan Salıcı also joined the protest.

The group unfurled banners reading, “Enough is enough,” and chanted
anti-government slogans.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress