Alert by International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX)
in Support of Yektan Turkyilmaz
August 5, 2005
Source: http://communique.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/68429/
Anthropology student jailed, facing up to 8 years in prison for possession of antique books
Country/Topic: Armenia
Date: 05 August 2005
Source: Writers in Prison Committee, International PEN
Person(s): Yektan Turkyilmaz
Target(s): academic(s)
Type(s) of violation(s): arrested , imprisoned , legal action
Urgency: Flash
(WiPC/IFEX) - Members of the world association of writers,
International PEN, have been alerted to the plight of Yektan
Turkyilmaz, a Turkish PhD student of cultural anthropology who has been
in prison in Armenia since mid June 2005. Turkyilmaz was arrested for
not declaring that he was in possession of antique books as he was
leaving the country. PEN has learned that his trial is set to take
place on 9 August.
International PEN is concerned that Turkyilmaz has been imprisoned
pending trial for over six weeks and that he is threatened with a
sentence of up to eight years in prison. It is concerned that he is
being treated particularly harshly because of the nature of his
studies. PEN is urging that he be freed pending trial, that his claims
that he was unaware of the export regulations on the books be taken
into consideration and that assurances be given that the action against
him has not been taken as a means of preventing him from continuing his
research.
Turkyilmaz, aged 33, was arrested at Yerevan Airport on 17 June as he
attempted to leave Armenia. He was on his fourth research trip to the
country and had planned to travel on to Paris and Istanbul before
returning to Duke University in the USA, where he has a John Hope
Franklin Institute fellowship.
During his visit, Turkyilmaz had purchased around 100 books ranging
from the 17th to 20th centuries, which he mostly bought from Armenian
second-hand book shops. The student has been collecting such books for
his own research as well as to build up a library of Armenian books
that would otherwise be lost. He maintains he was unaware of
requirements to declare any books over 50 years old at customs. A large
number of CDs containing research material was also seized and has not
been returned.
On 21 July, prosecuting authorities announced that Turkyilmaz was to be
tried under Article 215 of the Armenian Criminal Code relating to the
export of "contraband" goods, including drugs, arms, materials for the
manufacture of weapons of mass destruction and "cultural values for the
transportation of which special rules are established". He faces up to
8 years in prison.
There is deep concern that Turkyilmaz has limited access to his lawyer
and friends, and that he is denied access to the telephone, or to write
and receive letters.
For full details go to: http://www.ssrc.org/Threats-to-Intellectual-Freedom/Turkyilmaz.page
To see a letter of protest to Armenian President Robert Kocharian signed by over 240 writers and academics world wide, click: http://www.ssrc.org/programs/publications_editors/publications/Turkyilmaz.pdf
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to authorities:
- expressing deep concern about the
arrest of Yektan Turkyilmaz for inadvertently attempting to take books
out of Armenia without permission;
- pointing out that his continued detention and proposed trial under
charges carrying a maximum of eight years in prison is unreasonably
harsh;
- referring to suggestions that these measures have been taken as a
means of deterring Turkyilmaz from further research into the issue of
Armenian-Turkish relations
- calling for Turkyilmaz to be freed pending trial and for all restrictions on his visits and communications to be lifted.
APPEALS TO:
His Excellency Robert Kocharian
President
Office of the President
Marshal Bagharmaina St 26
375077 Yerevan
Armenia
Fax: +374 10 521 581
Please copy appeals to the source if possible. Appeals should also be
copied to the Armenian embassies in your own countries. For addresses
click: http://www.armeniaforeignministry.com/htms/embassiesList.html
MORE INFORMATION:
For further information, contact the WiPC, International PEN, 9/10
Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1M 7AT, U.K., tel: +44
207 253 3226, fax: +44 207 253 5711, e-mail: intpen@gn.apc.org,
Internet: http://www.internationalpen.org.uk