November 15 Day of Imprisoned Writers: 1 Poet, 2 Journalists-Writers from Turkey

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On November 15 International Day of the Imprisoned Writers, which was initiated by the International PEN 37 years ago, bianet has been drawing attention to three imprisoned writers in Turkey. Releasing a statement on the occasion of November 15, PEN has attracted attention to four imprisoned journalists from Bangladesh, Mexico, Egypt and Ukraine to emphasize the increasing oppression faced by journalists around the world.

According to the BİA Media Monitoring Report, as of October 2018, 123 journalists have been behind bars in Turkey. Being a writer is, most of the time, an occupation which is closely intertwined with being a journalist.

On the occasion of the International Day of the Imprisoned Writers, we, as bianet, are drawing attention to three writers in the name of 123 imprisoned journalists in Turkey:

Nazlı Ilıcak

Journalist, writer.

She was taken into custody in Bodrum, Muğla on July 25, 2016 as part of the investigation, which was launched into the Fethullah Gülen community in the wake of July 15 coup attempt in 2016. She was arrested along with 16 other journalists, including Ahmet Altan, on July 30, 2016.

The İstanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court sentenced Nazlı Ilıcak to aggravated life imprisonment on charge of "attempting to abolish the Constitutional order" on February 16, 2018. The verdict of aggravated life imprisonment was upheld by the court of appeal on October 2, 2018.

Nazlı Ilıcak started her career in journalist at Tercüman newspaper in the 1970s. In addition to Tercüman, she also worked for the newspapers Meydan, Hürriyet, Akşam, Yeni Şafak, Dünden Bugüne Tercüman, Bugün, Takvim and Sabah. Until 1988, she was the grant holder of the Bulvar newspaper, which was the second newspaper of the Tercüman group.

After the operations on December 17-25, 2013, she advocated that the ministers, who had been involved with corruption, should leave office, which led to her dismissal from Sabah newspaper.

Starting to work again for Bugün newspaper, she was dismissed after a trustee was appointed to the newspaper on October 26, 2015.

She was born in Ankara on November 14, 1944. She studied at the Faculty of Political Sciences of University of Lausanne in 1967.

Books

Nazlı Ilıcak has 14 published books.

Ar Damarı Kar Damarı (2015), 12 Mart Cuntaları (2013), Bitmeyen Hasret – Berrin Menderes'ten Yassıada'ya Mektuplar (2013), Demokrasiye İnce Ayar (2013), 12 Eylül Kazanında Bir Gazeteci (2012), Her Taşın Altında The Cemaat mi Var? (2012), 50. Yılında 27 Mayıs Yargılanıyor (2010), 27 Mayıs Yargılanıyor (2007), Yalnız Adam Menderes (2007), Akşamdan Şafağa Demokrasiyi Beklerken (2001), 12 Mart Cuntaları Demokrasi'nin Sırtındaki Hançer (2001), Sert Adımlarla Her Yer İnlesin (2001), Yazarlar Kavgalar- Özal Döneminde Medyanın İçyüzü (2000), 28 Şubat Sürecinde Din Siyaset ve Laiklik (1999).

Ahmet Altan

Journalist, writer and TV presenter.

There have been two lawsuits filed against Ahmet Altan.

Ahmet Altan was taken into custody on September 10, 2016 as part of the operation that was launched into the Fethullah Gülen community after the July 15 attempted coup in 2016. After being held in custody for 13 days, the İstanbul 1st Penal Court of Peace ruled for his arrest. He was sent to Silivri Closed Prison.

The İstanbul 26th Heavy Penal Court sentenced Nazlı Ilıcak to aggravated life imprisonment on charge of "attempting to abolish the Constitutional order" on February 16, 2018. The verdict of aggravated life imprisonment was upheld by the court of appeal on October 2, 2018.

While pressing the charges, the prosecutor of this case, Can Tuncay, who issued the indictment, claimed that the FETÖ/PDY (Fethullahist Terrorist Organization/ Parallel State Structure, which is held responsible for the coup attempt) was related with the Sledgehammer case.

The Prosecutor's Office based these allegations on the news reports published on the Taraf newspaper under the chief editorship of Ahmet Altan between the dates of January 20-29, 2010, which claimed that a coup plot was staged in the year 2003.

Being tried along with Mehmet Baransu, Yasemin Çongar and Yıldıray Oğur as part of the lawsuit, whose first hearing was held on September 2, 2016, Ahmet Altan has been facing 20 years to 52 years and 6 months in prison on a series of charges including "tampering with, misusing, maliciously seizing and stealing documents pertaining to the security of the state" and "disclosing confidential information of the state."

Ahmet Altan is the son of writer, journalist and politician Çetin Altan. He has been tried in the lawsuit filed in relation with the July 15 coup attempt along with his brother Mehmet Altan.

Altan graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara in 1981. He is the Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Taraf newspaper (with Alev Er). He worked as a reporter (Associated Press), editor (Hurriyet, World News), columnist (Hürriyet, Milliyet, Yeni Yüzyıl and Taraf). He also presented the programme called Kırmızı Koltuk (Red Armchair) with Journalist Neşe Düzel on Star TV in the 1990s.

He was put on trial due to his article entitled "Atakürt" published on the Milliyet newspaper, sentenced to 1 year and 8 months in prison and dismissed from the newspaper (1995).

He was also sentenced to 1 year and 2 months in prison for having insulted the Prime Minister of the time Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with his article on Roboski massacre published on Taraf. His prison sentence was turned to an administrative fine of 7 thousand Turkish Lira (2012).

Books

Ahmet Altan has 16 published novels and collections of essays.

Novels: Dört Mevsim Sonbahar (Four Seasons of Autumn) (1982), Sudaki İz (Trace on the Water) (1985), Yalnızlığın Özel Tarihi (A Private History of Loneliness) (1991), Tehlikeli Masallar (Dangerous Tales) (1996), Kılıç Yarası Gibi (Like a Sword Wound) (1998), İsyan Günlerinde Aşk (Love in the Days of Rebellion) (2001), Aldatmak (Cheating) (2002), En Uzun Gece (The Longest Night) (2005), Son Oyun (Endgame) (2013), Ölmek Kolaydır Sevmekten (March 2015), Bir Hayat Bir Hayata Değer (2015).

Collections of Essays: Gece Yarısı Şarkıları (Midnight Songs) (1995), İçimizde Bir Yer (Somewhere Inside Us) (2004), Karanlıkta Sabah Kuşları (Morning Birds in Darkness) (1997), Kristal Denizaltı (Crystal Submarine) (2005), Ve Kırar Göğsüne Bastırırken (And He Breaks While Holding Down To His Chest) (2012).

Hemîd Dilbahar

Poet, journalist, writer.

He is the founder of the TZP-Kurdî and a member of the Kurdish PEN. He wrote articles for the Azadiye Welat, which was closed as per a Statutory Decree. He was elected to the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Party Assembly in 2010.

During his university studies, he was put to trial due to his political, literary and cultural activities and given different sentences.

Being lastly taken into custody on February 13, 2010 in Turkey's eastern province of Ağrı, Dilbahar was arrested on charge of "being a member of a terrorist organization". In 2011, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison by the Erzurum 2nd Heavy Penal Court.

He has been held in prison in Erzurum, Gümüşhane, Ağrı and Van.

He was born in Turkey's southeastern province of Hakkari in 1976.

Books

Piştî Tu Çûyî (After You Leave - Poetry) Aram Publishing, 2009, 134 pp.

Ez Bûm Jînperest Ji Evîna te II (I Become Worshipper of Woman Because of Your Love - Poetry), Publishing, 2005.

Dem Bûye Xencereke Reş-Ezîzam (Love Has Become a Dark Dagger, Old Sport - Poetry) (HK/EKN/SD)