Imprisoned Writer Berktaş Wins at ECHR

Writer Nevin Berktaş won her case at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). She is currently serving a prison sentence at the Bakırköy Prison in Istanbul on the grounds of her book with the full title "Difficult places that challenge the faith: Prison Cells".

Turkey has to pay a fine of € 15,000 in compensation to the writer because of an unlawful restriction of Berktaş's right to freedom of expression constituted with her sentence, the ECHR decreed.

Publisher Çamyar to be compensated as well

The Strasbourg-based court announced its decisions on Tuesday (15 February). The court ruled for the same amount to be paid to publisher Elif Çamyar who had applied to the ECHR because of her conviction in November 2001.

Both Çamyar and Berktaş had been convicted on charges of "spreading propaganda for an armed organization" by local courts. The ECHR ruled for a violation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights on freedom of expression accordingly. In addition, the international court decreed for a violation of Article 6/1 of the convention on the right to a fair trial. The latter violation stemmed from the failure to notify the defendants about the final statement of the Court of Appeals Public Chief Prosecution.

Berktaş's conviction brought to parliament

Akın Birdal, Diyarbakır MP of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP), had brought the conviction of writer Berktaş to the agenda of the Turkish parliament.

Berktaş was imprisoned on 3 November 2010 after her conviction under allegations of "spreading propaganda for an illegal organization". She is currently incarcerated in the Bakırköy Women and Children Prison. (EÖ/VK)