DERSİM – Police raided the Baran Bookstore and seized 30 books. Sibel Sanay, a worker of the bookstore, pointed out that the pressure against publishing houses has increased after the declaration of the state of emergency. She said the people's interest in the books did not decrease despite pressures.

Pressure and aggression policies gaining legitimate ground under the state of emergency (OHAL) also affect publishing houses. In the last period, particularly books of the Kurdish writers, poets and Kurdish literature have been banned, all the books published by Aram Publishing Houses are being tried to be illegalized. About 10 police officers raided the Baran Bookstore in Dersim province a week ago. They seized about 30 books and all books published by Aram Publishing House were pulled off the shelf.

Sibel Sanay, a worker of the bookstore, stated that many books have been declared as banned and the pressure against publishing houses has been increased after the declaration of the state of emergency. Sibel also stated that there is no significant difference of book sales before and after the declaration of the OHAL and that the people's interest in the books did not decrease despite pressures; however, the pressure on publishing houses increases. “Pressure increases but the number of readers increases evenly,” said Sibel.

‘Books will be supplied to the people’

Stating that the books published by Aram Publishing House were targeted in the raid, Sibel said the books had been seized arbitrarily although there wasn’t any legal announcement that bans the books.  Sibel said, “Particularly, they took the books of Sakine Cansız, Abdullah Öcalan and books about guerrilla lives. Those books had been particularly demanded and we got them hardly. We don’t have a book published by Aram Publishing House now. Aram Publishing House will continue to supply these books to the people.”