"Turkish writers take stand for free speech
Five prominent journalists go to court Tuesday, weeks after similar charges were dropped against novelist Orhan Pamuk.
By Yigal Schleifer | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
ISTANBUL, TURKEY – Twenty-something Fatih Tas is far from being one of the giants of the Turkish publishing scene. Based in a poorly heated one-room office, his Istanbul-based Aram publishing house usually counts its sales of individual titles in the hundreds - maybe the thousands if business is good.
But Aram's small size hasn't kept it from drawing the attention of the Turkish authorities. Mr. Tas currently has 20 court cases open against him and faces a six-month prison sentence if his appeal is not upheld. His fault? Violating a vaguely-worded law that regulates a wide range of acts that could be interpreted as an 'insult' to 'Turkish identity' or to the country's military and other state institutions."
More:Turkish writers take stand for free speech | csmonitor.com
