Arrests Made in Orhan Pamuk Attempted Assasination Case
Thirteen suspects have been arrested for plotting to assassinate Nobel Prize winning author Orhan Pamuk. Pamuk was arrested by the Turkish government before for "insulting Turkishness" and the ultranationalists absolutely despise him for his unflattering historical writings about Turkey.
"These groups within the state have always existed," said a spokesperson for Istanbul's Free Expression Initiative, Sanar Yurdatapan, "but they've never been charged before. They were protected."
The charges brought against the suspects are not yet known. The investigation is being carried out under the terms of a law restricting media coverage.
"This could be a big development," continued Yurdatapan, suggesting that because figures very high in the military establishment have been connected with such groups it remains to be seen whether the cases will be brought to trial. "We are afraid to have hope."
Turkey continues its censorship of writers. But the arrest of this group gives hope to Turkish writers that the political winds may be changing.
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