(WiPC/IFEX) – The 7 August 2002 trial hearing against Asiye Güzel Zeybek has been postponed until 16 October. International PEN considers Zeybek’s imprisonment, from February 1997 until her release pending trial in June 2002, to be an unreasonably long period to be detained without conclusion of trial. It expects that the court will come to […]
(WiPC/IFEX) – The 7 August 2002 trial hearing against Asiye Güzel Zeybek has been postponed until 16 October. International PEN considers Zeybek’s imprisonment, from February 1997 until her release pending trial in June 2002, to be an unreasonably long period to be detained without conclusion of trial. It expects that the court will come to a similar conclusion and not order her return to prison. PEN is also concerned by allegations that Zeybek was raped during the early stages of imprisonment, which further enhance concerns about the fairness of Zeybek’s detention and trial.
Arrested in February 1997, Zeybek, now aged 31, was charged for her connections with the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party (MLCP, now defunct), whose newspaper she edited. Zeybek was tried under Article 168 of the Turkish Penal Code for membership in an “illegal organisation”. During an 8 October 1997 trial hearing, Zeybek claimed to have been raped while under interrogation at the Istanbul Security Directorate Political Department. Eight police officers were brought to trial in November 1998. However, on 1 November 2000, the court decided not to proceed with prosecution. Zeybek was also caught up in prison disturbances in winter 2000, during which police and prison officers stormed cells in an attempt to break up demonstrations against the new F-type prison system. On 5 June 2002, Zeybek was released pending conclusion of her trial.
At least 80 other writers and journalists charged for writing articles criticising the Turkish authorities are currently before Turkish courts. PEN continues to press for an end to the repression of free expression in Turkey.
