Ayşe Nur Zarakolu facts for kids

Ayşe Nur Zarakolu (born May 9, 1946 – died January 28, 2002) was a brave Turkish writer, publisher, and human rights champion. With her husband Ragıp Zarakolu, she co-founded Belge, a well-known Turkish publishing house. In the 1980s, she became the first woman in Turkey to direct a book-distribution company called Cemmay.

Zarakolu often faced challenges because of the books she published. These books sometimes went against Turkish press laws. The New York Times once called her "one of the most relentless challengers to Turkey's press laws". She helped bring attention to important issues in Turkey, like the Armenian genocide and the human rights of Kurdish people in Turkey. She was put in prison many times for her publications. Amnesty International called her a prisoner of conscience. Even after her death, her work continued to face legal issues in Turkey. She received many awards for her efforts. The Human Rights Association of Turkey gives an award in her honor called the Ayşe Zarakolu Freedom of Thought prize.

Her Life and Work

Ayşe Nur Sarısözen was born on May 9, 1946, in Antakya, Turkey. She studied sociology and started working in publishing in 1968. In 1970, she became the head librarian at Istanbul University's Institute of Financial Studies. She married Ragıp Zarakolu and they had two children.

In 1976 or 1977, Ayşe Nur Zarakolu and her husband started their own publishing house, Belge. Belge means "The Document." They published books about history, politics, and poetry. In the 1980s, she also became the director of Cemmay, a company that distributed books. This was a big deal because she was the first woman in Turkey to hold such a position. Ayşe Nur Zarakolu passed away from cancer in Istanbul on January 28, 2002.

Fighting for Freedom of Speech

The books published by Belge might not seem controversial in other countries. However, in Turkey, Zarakolu often faced legal action for her publications. She was fined and even imprisoned for long periods. In 1995, Belge publishing house was attacked with firebombs.

The New York Times said in 1997 that Zarakolu was "one of the most relentless challengers to Turkey's press laws." The books she published talked about difficult historical events and human rights issues. For example, they discussed the government's actions against Kurdish groups and documented mass killings of Armenians. The Human Rights Association of Turkey (İHD) described Zarakolu as a leader in the fight for freedom of thought and expression.

She bravely published books that were banned, like one that used the word "Kurd." She also started discussions about the "Armenian Genocide," which was a very sensitive topic in Turkey. She brought attention to the lives and histories of Kurds in Turkey, Armenians in Turkey, and Greeks in Turkey.

Zarakolu was arrested more than 30 times. She was imprisoned four times for her publications. Because of this, Amnesty International recognized her as a prisoner of conscience. Her husband shared that she faced very difficult conditions during her time in prison. In a letter from 2001, Zarakolu wrote that she believed expressing regret for past wrongs could prevent future tragedies. She felt she had done her duty and would continue to do so.

After her death in 2002, Zarakolu still faced charges for publishing certain books. However, these charges were eventually dropped. Her son, Deniz Zarakolu, was also charged for a speech he gave at her funeral. He was later found not guilty.

Awards and Recognition

Ayşe Nur Zarakolu received many awards for her work. These came from groups like the Turkish Publishers' Association, Human Rights Watch, and International PEN. In 1998, the International Publishers Association gave her their first International Freedom to Publish Award at the Frankfurt Book Fair. Sadly, Turkish officials had taken her passport years before, so she could not attend the ceremony. She also received the 1997 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.

Her Lasting Impact

The Human Rights Association of Turkey (İHD) gives an award in her memory called the "Ayşe Zarakolu Freedom of Thought" prize. In 2004, the European Court of Human Rights ruled against Turkey. This was because Turkey had wrongly convicted Zarakolu for publishing a book about Ferhat Tepe, a journalist who was murdered. This showed how important her fight for freedom of speech was.

In 2007, the city of Diyarbakır in southeastern Turkey named a park after her: the "Ayşenur Zarakolu Free Women's Park Forest." However, they had to change the name. The local government objected, saying she supported separatist ideas. Her husband later pointed out that the laws used to convict her and the court itself had been changed or removed.