WE KNOW PINAR SELEK
WE ARE IN SOLIDARITY WITH PINAR SELEK

One of the leading anti militarist-feminist, peace activists of Turkey, sociologist, researcher and writer Pınar Selek is tried to be brought to court again owing to a suit where she has already acquitted twice. Pınar Selek who has devoted her life to the marginalized and the oppressed, this time confronts the demand of life sentence by the 9th Penal Department of Court of Appeal.
Despite the court decision of acquittal she has been labeled as a “bomber” for 11 years and through all this time, she has never seized to work and share her production with the public.
Pınar Selek has shaped her private and working life according to the motto of “Living is the most important academic activity.” Born in 1971 in Istanbul, she graduated from Notre Dame de Sion French School and as the honor student from Department of Sociology at Mimar Sinan University. In 1996 her translation- selection titled Ya Basta-Artık Yeter [Enough] dealing with the indigenous movement of Mexico was published by Belge Publishing. Her Ma. thesis at the same university was published as Maskeler, Süvariler, Gacılar-Ülker Sokak: Bir Dışlanma Mekânı [Masks, Cavaliers, Gacis - Ülker Street: A Place of Marginalization] (1st edition: 2001, Aykırı Publishing, 2. edition: 2007, Istiklal Publishing).

The academic achievement of Pınar Selek relies heavily on her idealistic viewpoint of getting involved into the lives of her research subjects. In this respect she looked after the street children and transvestites after her thesis was long finalized and established with them “Street Artists Atelier”. Through this initiative both street children and transvestites got the chance of becoming integrated into the society with their works of art.

Pınar Selek was just about to finish her research about the consequences and effects of the civil war in Turkey which cost decades of the country, many peoples’ lives and so much grief, when she found herself surrounded by an conspiracy of having put a bomb to Spice Bazaar. She spent 2.5 years in prison and 11 years in the court rooms. While she was acquitted twice, she still had to counter attacks labeling and terrorizing her as a “bomber”. She fought with the single method she knew; namely by distillate knowledge, love and experiences from life. Within this period she wrote Barışamadık [We Couldn’t Reconcile] focusing on various difficult peace struggles of modern Turkey (2004, Ithaki Publishing) and Sürüne Sürüne Erkek Olmak [Leading a Dog’s Life: Masculinity] (2008, İletişim Publishing) taking up manhood within the context of military service experiences. She also has a book of tales called Su Damlası [Drop of Water], (2008, Özyürek Publishing).

Pınar Selek devoted her life to a moral attitude against war and to an active struggle against all kinds of violence without any pretext. She took part at numerous conferences, workshops and seminars about gender, militarism, violence, ecology, media, street children and marginalized groups. She also has articles about these issues published in various newspapers, magazines and journals.

In 2001 she became one of the founders of Amargi Women Co-Op and organized women meetings in Diyarbakır, İstanbul, Batman and Konya which took an important part of Turkey’s agenda. She is an active member of Amargi Women Co-Op and since 2006 she works as editor and coordinator of Amargi Feminist Journal. She is among the founders of Amargi Feminist Bookstore opened in 2008 and has acted as coordinator of women readers and writers meetings titled “Which Doors Do Our Experiences Open?” in this place which is also the first feminist bookstore in Turkey.

Within this long period of hard work more than 2000 people comprising of intellectuals including Orhan Pamuk and Yaşar Kemal, writers, movie and theater players, journalists, jurists, activists, academicians and of course women declared solidarity with Pınar Selek by stating that “We are witness to Pınar Selek’s attitude against violence*”. While Pınar Selek continues her legal struggle and academic work, also her supporters go on with their struggle, both encouraging and strengthening each other.

We once again declare our solidarity with her for we all know who Pınar Selek really is. We demand justice for Pınar Selek as well as a country where struggling for justice like Pınar Selek has done is imaginable and possible.

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“We stand by PINAR SELEK’s side

We, who have signed this declaration, are witnesses that Pinar Selek is a feminist and anti-militarist researcher, who has struggled against all sorts of violence. We believe that she has nothing to do with the accusations she has been faced many years in Turkey and request that her researches and works to be considered in the context of freedom of thought. Since these can never constitute a crime for us, we stand by Pinar Selek’s side.”

Prof Dr. Judith Butler, Prof. Dr. Noam Chomsky, Prof. Dr. Norman Paech, Prof. Martin van Bruinessen, Claudia Roth, Lord Rea,  Prof. Dirk De Biêvre, Eugene Schoulgin, Prof. Ivaylo Ditchev, Prof. Josef B. Gunz, Karin Binder, Feleknas Uca, Meritxell Batet Lamaêa, Hallgeir H. Langeland, Ali Eltari, Kinga von Gyökössy-Rudersdorf, Karin Binder, Celine Kearney, Heidi Graf Knoblauch, Ulrike Küstler, Meritxell Batet Lamana, Bahauddeen Latif, Rodzio Gonzalez Lorenzo, Lilo Lottermoser, Dr. Caroline Lucas, Prof. Jean Lynch, Anne Masjosthusmann, Sarah Parker, David Pisani, Tobias Pflüger, Jutta Treiber, Eva Quistorp, Dr. Joanna Santa Barbara, Dr. Peter Strutynski, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Stuby, Benno Herzog

Abdoul Boulane,Achim Schuster,Ada Donno,Agnes Fleckenstein, Alexander Ulrich, Alma Redzic, American Sociological Association (ABD), Anais Nedelec, Anita Friedetzky, Anne Le Berre, Anne Masjosthusmann, Annett Bender, Annette Schiffmann, Arzu Kılıç, Aurelie Placats, Bahauddeen Latif,Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales, Barbara Rossmann, Belgrad Siyaha Bürünmüş Kadınlar (Women in Black Belgrad, Sırbistan), Benno Herzog, Bernedette Muthie, Birgit Gärtner, Britta Eder, Britta Wente, Catherine Le Hir, Cecile Gararo, Celina Gonzalez, Celine Kearney, Ceri Mohterem, Chana Kaunda, Chris Scheinig-Bertelmers, Christian Arndt, Christiane Böhm, Christiane Schneider, Chrystal Brossault, Connan Kristell, Corinne Gallau, Çiçek Çakır, Dagau, David Chaytor, David Morgan, David Pisani, Dieter Balle,Dipl. Ing. Hella Bischoff, Dipl. Ing. Peter Hofmann, Dorothee Bruch,Dr. Bettina Lösch, Dr. Caroline Lucas, Dr. Charlotte Schmitz, Dr. Christian Wellmann, Dr. Erol Yildiz, Dr. Heinz Jürgen Schneider, Dr. Jens Siegelberg, Dr. Joanna Santa Barbara , Dr. med. Elisabeth Fries, Dr. Michael Schiffmann, Dr. Nikolaus Brauns, Dr. Peter Strutynski,Dr. Regine Mehl,Dr. RJ Hunter, Dr. Rolf Gössner, Dr. Shavarsh Kocharyan, Dr. Wolfgang Kirstein, Dr.rer.pol. Rudolf Rechsteiner, Prof. Dr. Ing. Manfred Fischer, Enno Jäger, Erika Fischer, Estella Schmid, Eva Quistorp, Evelyn Theis, Fanny Bugnon, Feminist Publishers 94, Fred Lemaitre, Gabriele Bischoff , Gayard M., Gulistan Altın, Hallgeir H. Langeland, Harry van Bommel, Heidi Graf Knoblauch, Heike Geisweid, Heike Hoer, Hugo Charlton, Hülya Eralp, Hüseyin Aydin, Ian Cohen , Ingrid Scherf, Irmgard Heilberger, Isabelle Pineau, Ivan Foschi, İpek Çakır, Joelle Frerreira, Jörn Wunderlich, Jutta Treiber, Kani Xulam (ABD), Karin Binder, Karin Kelz, Karine Louvergneaux, Kaveh Morshedi Niknam, Kerstin Seifer, Kinga von Gyökössy-Rudersdorf, Kornelia Möller, Lagadeve Y.,  Lamberqueceux,  Laurent Simon, Lilo Lottermoser, Lydie Poree, Manuelle Bidaud, Marcello Belotti, Maria Oshana, Marie Claude Bouin, Martin Dietmann, Martin Dolzer,  Mazlum Hyalp, Meike Nack, Meritxell Batet Lamaña, Michele Fou Geron, Monika Böchle, Monika Morres, Nadia Deroine, Nadia Gourmette, Nielsen Kiil, Oclil Piquet, Patricia Lefeuvre, Piel U., Pılar Palacıo Sesé Prof. Ariel Dorfman, Prof. Dirk De Bièvre, Prof. Dr. Georg Simonis, Prof. Dr. Gerhard Stuby, Prof. Dr. Herbert Schui, Prof. Dr. Martin Sökefeld, Prof. Dr. Reimar v. Alvensleben, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang C. Müller, Prof. Jean Lynch, Prof. Josef B. Gunz,Prof. Judith Blau, Prof. Peter Cole,Renate Riedlinger, Rodzio Gonzalez Lorenzo, Ronie Lever, Sandra Cangemi, Sarah Parker,Sevim Çakır,Silvia Birnbaum, Susanne Deitert,Thaeron M.,Therese Collien, Thomas Ebermann, Tobias PflügerTom Mathar, Ulla Jelpke, Ulrike Küstler, Ursula Kretschmer, Ute Koczy, Viktoria Sunden,Voice of Difference, Wilfred Dcosta, Wolfgang Gehrcke, Xerip Yildiz, Yavuz Fersoglu, Yusuf Başkan.

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Dr. Halil Berktay, İsmail Beşikçi, Prof. Dr. Jale Parla, Jülide Kural, Karin Karakaşlı, Latife Tekin, Mahir Günşıray, Mehmet Çağçağ, Prof. Mehmet Ecevit, Mehmet Uzun, Prof. Dr. Melek Göregenli, Mercan Dede, Mihri Belli, Müjde Ar, Müge İplikçi, Neşe Yaşin, Prof. Dr. Nükhet Sirman, Oral Çalışlar, Orhan Miroğlu, Orhan Silier, Rıdvan Akar, Sabahat Akkiraz, Sibel Eraslan, Prof Dr. Aksu Bora, Prof. Dr. Şahika Yüksel, Prof. Dr. Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Prof. Dr.Semra Somersan, Doç. Dr. Sevin Okay, Prof. Dr. Sibel Irzık, Doç. Dr. Şemsa Özar, Şirin Tekeli, Prof. Dr. Taha Parla, Burhan Şeşen, Talin Sucuyan, Teoman, Uğur Yücel,  Vecdi Sayar,Yeşim Ustaoğlu, Prof. Dr. Yıldız Ecevit, Prof. Dr. Zeynep Direk, Zeynep Atikkan, Zeynep Avcı, Doç. Dr. Zeynep Çağlayan Gambetti, Abdurrahman Dilipak, Adnan Ekinci, Adnan Yıldız, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Çakmak, Ahmet Ilgaz, Ahmet Öğüt, Ahmet S. Uluğ, Ahmet Şık, Ahmet Tulgar, Akın Birdal, Ali Alper, Ali Coşar, Doç.Dr. Ali Serdar Fak, Altay Öktem,  Aslı Altan, Asude Kayaş, AtillaSoysal, Ayca Atikoğlu, Ayfer Tunç, Ayhan Bilgen, Aylin Sunam, Aynur Doğan, Ayşe Günaysu, Yrd. Doç. Ayşe Parla, Ayşegül Özorpat, Yrd. Doç. Ayşen Candaş Bilgen, Ayten Sönmez, Aziz Çelik, Barbaros Altuğ, Barkın Engin, Beral Madra, Berat Günçıkan, Berna Kurt, Burak Korucu, Burhan Şeşen, Cahit Baylav, Celal Başlangıç, Cem Yegül, Ceren Erdem, Cevat Özkaya, Ceylan Özerengin, Çağatay Anadol, Çelenk Bafra, Çiğdem Öztürk, Deniz Durukan, Deniz Gül, Dr. Deniz Özdemir, Derya Bengi, Ece Temelkuran,  Eda Karaltı-Rentsch, Elif Akçalı, Elif Cemal, Elif Ergenç, Emrah Yaralı, Erdağ Aksel, Erdir Zat, Erdoğan Aydın, Av. Ergin Cinmen, Ergun Babahan, Erol Köroğlu, Ersin Salman, Prof. Dr. Ertan Yurdakoş, Esmeray, Esra Kahraman, Esra Koç, Eugene Schoulgin, , Fatih Taş, Fehmiye Çelik, Ferdi Kestekoğlu, Ferhat Tunç, Feryal Öney, Feza Kürkçüoğlu, Filiz Karakuş, Av. 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Meral Danış Bektaş, Mukaddes Kubilay,  Yrd. Doç. Dr. Murat Akan, Murat Çelikkan, Yrd. Doç. Dr. Murat Paker, Murat Sahinler, Doç Dr Mustafa Çetiner, Muteber Öğreten, Müjgan Arpat, Müjgan Halis, Mürüvvet Türkyılmaz, Nazan Maksudyan, Dr. Nazan Üstündağ, Nazlı Ongan, Prof. Dr. Nesrin Sungur, Neşe Ozan, Neşe Şen, Nevin Sungur, Av. Nezahat Gündogmus, Nilgün Cerrahoğlu, Yrd. Doç. Dr. Nilgün Toker, Nilgün Yurdalan, Nilüfer Akbal, Nimet Tanrıkulu, Nukhet Esen, Nukte Devrim Bouvard, Nursel Güler O. Murat Ertel, Oğuz Sönmez, Oğuz Özerdem, Oral Çalışlar, Orhan Alkaya, Orhan Miroğlu, Orhan Silier, Orient Expressions, Osman Baydemir, Osman Kavala,  Oya Coşkun, Ömer Ahunbay, Övül Durmuşoğlu, Özcan Yurdalan, Özdem Petek,Pınar İlkkaracan, Raffi A. Hermonn, Ragıp Yavuz, Doç. Dr. Refika Hamutçu, Av. Reyhan Yalçındağ, Rıdvan Akar, Roni Margulies, Ruken Öztürk, Sabahat Akkiraz, Sami Urfalı, Seferi Yılmaz, Seher Eylem Kaya, Selim Birsel, Selin Tunç , Doç. 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