Ragıp Zarakolu and Büşra Ersanlı have a special place for GIT as it was their arrests that created the impetus for the foundation of GIT in France, and later in many other countries of North America and Europe, including Turkey.Recently, members from the Swedish Parliament nominated imprisoned Turkish publisher and human rights defender Ragıp Zarakolu for the Nobel Peace Prize. According to the article in Hurriyet Daily News, The nomination comes amid a debate over the prize’s criteria:
"Turkey’s prisons abound with writers, intellectuals and academics, a direct contradiction to the country’s desire to become a model for the Middle East," said Swedish Parliamentarian Armineh Kakabaveh, who recently nominated arrested journalist Ragıp Zarakolu for the Nobel Peace Prize."Professor Büşra Ersanlı will be the focus of a meeting today at 12:30 PM in front of the Beşiktaş Court House in Istanbul. The 100. day of her arrest will be marked by a press conference of the union of educators' universities branch that will also be attended by her friends, colleagues, and other concerned citizens.
