15 10 2008 - Nobel Prize Ohran Pamuk attacks Turkish government

Jean Eckian Independent correspondent
October 15, 2006

Nobel Prize Ohran Pamuk attacks Turkish government
Turkish writer Ohran Pamuk, Nobel Prize of literature, accused, Tuesday, Turkey to restrict freedom of expression, at the time of the inaugural ceremony of the Frankfurt's Fair of the Book, to which also Turkish president Abdullah Gul assisted.
« Turkish state unfortunately continues to punish writers and to prohibit books , he said, adding that " the censure is always in force in the country on the basis of article 301 of the Turkish penal code, with which one tries to intimidate writers like me, of the hundreds of authors and journalists trailed in justice and condemned » , the Nobel Prize 2006 regretted.
« Some were even killed. Me I am alive here and I am ready to make the opening speech » he said to journalists.
« The access to Youtube and others Turkish websites or foreigners are forbiden in Turkey for political reasons », he still denounced, ensuring however that « the authors and the editors did not leave themselves to intimidate. »
Author of « Snows » had been worried by Turkish justice in 2005 to denounce the Armenian genocide.
At the end of the inaugural speech, President Gül in spite diplomatically applauded the writer.

Jean Eckian