Sebahattin Onkibar, who recently penned "Asena," on the political life of Erdogan-challenger Meral Aksener, was attacked while signing autographs. The Turkish Publishers Association has condemned the incident.
Image: DW/B. Ösay
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The first day of the 36th Istanbul Book Fair has been marred by violence after unknown assailants physically attacked Turkish author Sebahattin Onkibar in the Kirmizi Kedi (Red Cat) publishing house's stall on Saturday.
Salih Yavuz, manager of sales and marketing at Kirmizi Kedi, described the incident to DW: "We started the autograph session at 1 pm. Around 15-20 minutes later, a group of young people arrived. The man at the front of the queue handed his book to Onkibar. The author asked what his name was and the man replied "Alper" and then said to the author: 'Who got you to write this book?' He attempted to punch Onkibar but missed. This made him very angry and he jumped up on the stand and came in. Our team responded by trying to stop him and as a result of that, around 20-25 people behind him attacked our stand. There was uproar for a couple of minutes, in which two of our friends were injured."
Yavuz pointed out that the attackers left the hall without any problems and added: "Security arrived at the scene pretty late, about 15 minutes after the incident. By the time they arrived, the attackers had already left."
According to Yavuz, the same author had been targeted previously due to another one of his books about Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), with whom Aksener parted ways to found the Good Party.
"Asena," by Sebahattin Onkibar, has been selling very wellImage: DW/B. Ösay
'Intolerance on the rise'
"We are not surprised that intolerance towards a book or opinion flared up today," Yavuz said. "In times like these, in which books get withdrawn without having been published, it is no surprise that such attacks would take place against published books and their authors. We are doing what is necessary as a publishing house. We believe that it is not a crime to publish books that are worthy of publication and to support authors in making a living."
Yavuz added that they will not be withdrawing "Asena," which he said is an objective work. "There is apparently no tolerance with regard to praising or criticizing Aksener."
Censure from publishers association
The Turkish Publishers Association has condemned the incident. In a press release they stated: "Freedom of speech and publication is an irrevocable right that must be protected. Any kind of intervention, or the failure to bring the perpetrators of rights violations to justice, cause and encourage further violent incidents. Any kind of hindrance and intervention towards authors and publishing houses violates the right to live in a democratic society."
The president of the Turkish Publishers Association, Kenan Kocaturk, told DW: "Just like we are against hate crimes, we are utterly against these kind of violent incidents as well. There have been attacks on publishing houses before. The attackers, who were detained by the police and brought to the prosecutor's office, were released. We hope that this will not be repeated this time. We hope that those who were involved in the attack at the book fair will be found as soon as possible and brought to justice."
Why are German and Turkish relations so strained?
German-Turkish relations have deteriorated since the failed coup against Turkish President Erdogan in 2016 and the crackdown that followed. DW looks at some of the key moments that soured ties between Berlin and Ankara.
Image: picture-alliance/POP-EYE/B. Kriemann
The Böhmermann affair
March 31, 2016: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan filed charges against German comedian and satirist Jan Böhmermann over his "defamatory poem" about the Turkish leader. German prosecutors eventually dropped the charges on October 4, 2016, but the case sparked a diplomatic row between Berlin and Ankara.
German lawmakers pass resolution to recognize 1915 Armenian Genocide
June 2, 2016: The resolution passed almost unanimously. In response, Turkey recalled its ambassador in Berlin and Germany's Turkish community held protests in several German cities. Turkey had repeatedly criticized the use of the term genocide to describe the Ottoman-era Armenian killings, arguing that the number of deaths had been inflated, and that Turkish Muslims also perished in the violence.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Gallup
Tensions following failed coup in Turkey
July 15, 2016: A faction of the Turkish military tried to overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but ultimately failed. Ankara accused Berlin of not taking a clear stand against the coup attempt or not doing anything about exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen's organization, who Erdogan blames for orchestrating the failed coup.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Suna
Germany criticizes post-coup purge
Immediately following the attempted coup, Turkish authorities purged the army and judiciary, detaining thousands of people. The purge expanded to include civil servants, university officials and teachers. German politicians criticize the detentions. Turkish diplomats, academics and military members fled the country and applied for asylum in Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Suna
Kurdish rallies in Cologne
Erdogan's post-coup crackdown has also been condemned by Kurdish protesters at several mass demonstrations in the west German city of Cologne. Often the rallies have called for the release of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Turkey considers to be a terror group. Ankara has accused Berlin of not doing enough to stop PKK activities.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Meissner
Arrest of German citizens in Turkey
February 14, 2017: Deniz Yücel, a correspondent for the "Welt" newspaper, was taken into custody in Turkey. Other German nationals, including journalist Mesale Tolu and human rights activist Peter Steudtner were detained in Turkey for what Berlin dubbed "political reasons." Turkey accused them of supporting terrorist organizations. All three have since been released pending trial.
March 2017: A number of German localities blocked Turkish ministers from holding rallies in their districts ahead of an April referendum in Turkey to enhance President Erdogan's powers. The Turkish leader then accused Germany of using "Nazi tactics" against Turkish citizens in Germany and visiting Turkish lawmakers. German leaders were not amused by the jibe, saying Erdogan had gone too far.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/O. Berg
Spying allegations
March 30, 2017: Germany accused Turkey of spying on hundreds of suspected Gulen supporters as well as over 200 associations and schools linked to the Gulen movement in Germany. Turkish asylum-seekers have since accused officials working in Germany's immigration authority (BAMF) of passing on their information to media outlets with ties to the Turkish government.
Image: Imago/Chromeorange/M. Schroeder
Erdogan urges German-Turks not to vote for 'enemies of Turkey'
August 18, 2017: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed three of Germany's main political parties as "enemies of Turkey" and told Turks living in Germany not to vote for them in September's general election. He singled out Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), the Social Democrats (SPD), and the Greens. Merkel said Erdogan was "meddling" in Germany's election.
Image: picture-alliance/abaca/AA/M. Ali Ozcan
Merkel says Turkey should not become EU member
September 4, 2017: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during an election debate that she didn't think Turkey should become a member of the European Union and said she would speak with other EU leaders about ending Ankara's accession talks. In October, she backed a move to cut Turkey's pre-accession EU funds.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Turkey's military offensive in Afrin
January 20, 2018: The Turkish military and their Syrian rebel allies launched "Operation Olive Branch" against the Kurdish-held enclave of Afrin in northern Syria. The move was criticized by German politicians and prompted large protests by Kurdish communities in Germany.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/O. Kose
Journalist Deniz Yücel released from prison
February 16, 2018: Turkey ordered the release of German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yücel after he'd been held for over a year without charge. According to Turkish state media, Yücel was released on bail from pre-trial detention. Prosecutors asked for an 18-year jail sentence for Yücel on charges of "terror propaganda" and incitement.
Image: picture-alliance/Eventpress/Stauffenberg
Özil quits
July 2018: German footballer Mesut Özil quit the national team following the fallout from his meeting with the Turkish president. Özil said he was being made a scapegoat for Germany's forgettable performance at the FIFA World Cup in Moscow because of his Turkish heritage. Erdogan praised Özil's decision and slammed the "racist" mistreatment of the footballer.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Presidential Press Service
Travel ban lifted
August 2018: A Turkish court removed the travel ban on German journalist Mesale Tolu, who was arrested last year on terrorism-related charges. But the trial against Tolu, who has since returned to Germany, is set to continue. Her husband, Suat Corlu, who is facing similar charges, has been ordered to remain in Turkey.
