Author Yavuz Ekinci on Trial for “Terrorist Propaganda” Charges

Ferhat Yaşar / Newspaper Wall

An ⁤Istanbul court held the first hearing ‍of ‍author Yavuz Ekinci on ‌”terrorist propaganda“⁣ charges for his novel Shared‍ Dreams ‌published ⁤in 2014.

The trial began with the presence of ‍many authors and representatives of civil society.

In‍ his defense, Ekinci rejected all charges and pointed to the⁤ conditions that led to his book being banned.

“Shared Dreams ⁢ is the story of my home, my people, my village, ⁤my country. This is ⁤the story⁣ of those ⁣who wait endlessly⁣ by the window, in front of the television, for news⁣ about ‍their sons, their daughters, or ‌their fathers. Whether⁣ you call them Saturday Mothers or ⁢Diyarbakır Families, Shared Dreams tells ‌the story of ⁢this country,” he explained.

Ekinci continued, “What ‍worries me the most in this ‌case, and what I have tried ⁢to understand since⁤ I first heard about​ it, is‌ the mindset of the ⁢person who reported my novel ⁢to President CİMER’s communication system ‍on the night⁣ of ⁣the second day of the massive‌ earthquake February 6.”

“In the midst of this horror, on the night of February ⁣7, someone ⁤took the ⁢time to report my novel ​to CİMER, accusing⁤ me of terrorist propaganda. Although I felt ashamed to even sit, eat, or speak during those days, someone recited my book, thinking ⁤they ​were patriotic,” the author said.

Ekinci said his novel was a work of fiction. “The fact that the fictional world I created appeared real to the court speaks​ to the power‌ of my literature and ‌the court’s attitude to fiction. Suing a fictional⁣ universe is abstract. Judging, banning, and seizing in today’s courts is political. Judging ‌an artist based on‍ characters and their words is an insult to art,” he asserted.

The court decided ⁣to ask the Istanbul Security Branch Directorate about the date‌ of ⁤Ekinci’s publication Shared Dreams and referred the case ⁤to the prosecution for an‍ opinion on the merits. The trial was⁢ adjourned until December 9.

Following the hearing, Ekinci made a statement in front of the court. “This⁤ is not just ⁤a‍ case against me, but a warning to all writers. No one can tell a writer what to write or how to write. ⁢We want literature to be discussed through new styles, not lawsuits,” he ⁤said.

Background of the Case

Following a complaint to CİMER on February 7, 2023, a day after the February 6 earthquakes, an investigation was launched into Yavuz Ekinci’s novel Shared Dreams published by Doğan ‍Kitap⁣ in 2014.

On March 14, 2023,‌ the 7th Istanbul Criminal Peace Court issued a decision to ‌confiscate ‌the books.⁢ Following this, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office also started an investigation.