Playwright Arrested

[Guillermo L. Verdecchia]

This information was forwarded to me ...

>I just copied this from Playbill Online. Anybody know anything else
>about this or how we can do something?

>                        Turkish Playwright Gets 24
>                        Years for Ridiculing
>                                    Military
                                       05-AUG-98

>               Islamic playwright Mehmet Vehi Yazar was sentenced
>               Aug. 4 by a Turkish court to 24 years in prison. His
>               offense was a play that allegedly ridiculed the
>               nation's military forces, according to Reuters. Four
>               members of the play's cast were also sentenced to
>               jail terms.

>               The play, An Enemy of God, was performed in 1997 in
>               the eastern Turkish province of Erzurum. According to
>               authorities, the drama urged a revolt against the
>               reigning secularist, military government in favor of
>              one based of Islamic Sharia law. Turkish armed forces
>              have been rigorously pursuing a crackdown of Islamic
>               elements, contended they pose a threat to Turkey's
>               secularist constitution.

>               The court said the playwright was guilty of
>               "provoking hatred by highlighting class, racial or
>               religious difference between people."


I'd like to suggest that anyone who can, write (or fax) polite letters to

Minister of the Interior
Murat BASESKIOGLU
Ministry of the Interior
Icisleri Bakanligi 06644
Ankara, Turkey

011 90 312 428 4346 - fax

calling for Mehmet Vehi Yazar's release and pointing out that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 18 and 19)  guarantees Freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as well as freedom of opinion and expression, including the right to receive and impart information and ideas through any medium.


Guillermo Verdecchia
(604) 255 5100
(604) 255 5103
glv at csi.com or glv at compuserve.com