Ayşenur Zarakolu was a Turkish author, publisher, and human rights advocate. She co-founded the notable Turkish publishing house Belge and became the director of book-distribution company Cemmay, the first woman in the nation to hold such a position. Zarakolu's publications brought her into frequent conflict with Turkish press laws. She helped publicize issues such as the Armenian Genocide and human rights of Kurdish people in Turkey. Zarakolu passed away on January 28, 2002, at the age of 55.