26/03/2020 | Writer: Yiğit E Korkmaz
"We state to the public attention that we are monitoring these and similar violations in our country, which are in conflict with the freedom of publication."
The Turkish Publishers' Association, The PEN and the Writers' Union of Turkey issued a joint statement regarding the governments actions on the books Declaration of Girls Rights and the Declaration of Boys Rights, stating declaring these books 'obscene', charging the translator and collecting and destroying the books are acts of censorship.
"We state to the public attention that we are monitoring these and similar violations in our country, which are in conflict with the freedom of publication." the publishers and writers said in the joint statement.
The full text of the statement is as follows:
As will be remembered, Elisabeth Brami and Estelle Billon's "Declaration of Boys Rights" and "Declaration of Girls Rights" (Yapı Kredi Publications) were censored and covered with nontransparent plastic in accordance with the decision of the Board to Protect Minors from Obscene Publications that was published in the Official Gazette on September 27, 2019. A distribution and sales ban was issued for the book "Declaration of Girls Rights" and the publisher and the translator of the book was sued on charges of "publishing and mediating the publication of obscene remarks".
"The obscene publication decisions taken by the five unit chiefs appointed by the Ministry of Labour Social Services and the Family, the distribution and sales bans imposed on books, the charges pressed against writers, translators and publishers are perceived almost as routine, ordinary practices in our country; freedom of expression and publication, which is our constitutional right, is worn out day by day. Our publishing industry is under the pressure of censorship and self-censorship through these lawsuits and decisions.
"Freedom of expression is one of the main elements that form the basis of a democratic society; one of the basic conditions necessary for the progress of society and the development of the individual and, is indispensable. The principle of democratic society also requires the protection of freedom of expression. We state to the public attention that we are monitoring these and similar violations in our country, which are in conflict with the freedom of publication."
Translation: Yiğit E. Korkmaz
Tags: human rights, arts and culture
