content tagged with PEN

‘You cannot get rid of our tongue’: PEN Turkey expresses support for Kabaş, Aksu

‘You cannot get rid of our tongue’: PEN Turkey expresses support for Kabaş, Aksu

PEN Turkey Center has released a statement in the wake of musician Sezen Aksu being targeted over the lyrics of a song and the arrest of journalist Sedef Kabaş for “insulting the President” with a proverb.

25 January 2022

PEN Germany highlights the imprisonment of Selahattin Demirtaş

DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER

PEN Germany highlights the imprisonment of Selahattin Demirtaş

Ahead of the Day of the Imprisoned Writer on November 15, PEN Germany has raised concerns and publicity about four imprisoned writers, including HDP’s former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, who has been behind bars for over 5 years.

11 November 2021

PEN Turkey: Don’t put Orhan Pamuk on trial by inventing nonexistent crimes

PEN Turkey: Don’t put Orhan Pamuk on trial by inventing nonexistent crimes

PEN Turkey has criticized the investigation against Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk over his novel “Nights of Plague” for the second time: “Don’t put Orhan Pamuk on trial by inventing nonexistent crimes; don’t make Atatürk sad.”

11 November 2021

Deniz Yücel elected as the President of PEN Germany

Deniz Yücel elected as the President of PEN Germany

Arrested in Turkey for a year, journalist and writer Deniz Yücel has been elected the new President of PEN Germany.

27 October 2021

PEN Melbourne’s new honorary member: Jailed journalist Nedim Türfent

PEN Melbourne’s new honorary member: Jailed journalist Nedim Türfent

Australia’s PEN Melbourne center has announced that journalist Nedim Türfent has been granted honorary membership. Sending a message from prison, the journalist has thanked for "the honor erasing the borders desired to be set by hegemons."

23 September 2021

PEN International calls for solidarity with Kurdish writer Meral Şimşek

PEN International calls for solidarity with Kurdish writer Meral Şimşek

With her literary works brought against her as criminal evidence, Şimşek will appear before the court on September 21.

PEN International to Turkey: Overturn conviction of writer Gulgeş Deryaspî

PEN International to Turkey: Overturn conviction of writer Gulgeş Deryaspî

PEN has released a statement about Kurdish PEN member and writer Gulgeş Deryaspî, who has been sentenced to 6 years, 3 months in prison in Turkey: “We believe that she is being targeted for her writings promoting Kurdish language and culture.”

PEN Ukraine sends a letter of solidarity to Osman Kavala

PEN Ukraine sends a letter of solidarity to Osman Kavala

In his letter addressed to arrested businessperson Kavala, novelist Andrey Kurkov says, “Your entire situation seems to me so surreal that, if I did not know that it was your reality, I would assume it was a story by Orwell. Maybe with the help of Kafka…”

17 November 2020

‘Prosecutors endeavoured to allege a crime through their interpretation’

MİT NEWS TRIAL

‘Prosecutors endeavoured to allege a crime through their interpretation’

PEN Norway has analyzed the indictment issued against journalists for allegedly revealing the identity of an intelligence officer. The report has concluded that the indictment “does not even satisfy the minimum criteria expected of such a document.”

16 November 2020

‘If a single writer or journalist is behind bars, none of us is free’

DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER

‘If a single writer or journalist is behind bars, none of us is free’

On International Day of the Imprisoned Writer, PEN Turkey has created a "Prison Alphabet." PEN Turkey Chair Zeynep Oral says, “Numbers don't matter; if even a single journalist or writer is unjustly behind bars in a country, no writer or journalist is free."

16 November 2020

‘Journalist Nedim Türfent behind bars for 1,500 days’

‘Journalist Nedim Türfent behind bars for 1,500 days’

44 organizations have released a joint statement for journalist Nedim Türfent, who will be behind bars for 1,500 days on June 21. “We call on Turkish authorities once again to stop this injustice,” the statement of the organizations has read.

PEN Germany Declares Jailed Journalist and Novelist Ahmet Altan Honorary Member

PEN Germany Declares Jailed Journalist and Novelist Ahmet Altan Honorary Member

PEN Germany Center has declared imprisoned journalist and writer Ahmet Altan an honorary member. Jailed for 1,138 days, Altan was released on November 4, to be arrested again a week later on November 13.

20 November 2019

Support for Writer and Academic Fikret Başkaya from 5 Continents, 19 Countries

Support for Writer and Academic Fikret Başkaya from 5 Continents, 19 Countries

23 freedom of expression and press organizations from 19 countries have expressed support for writer and academic Fikret Başkaya ahead of his hearing in Ankara on November 22: “Terrorist propaganda charges against him must be dismissed.”

15 November 2019

Day of the Imprisoned Writer: How can you Still Write in That Country?

NOVEMBER 15 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER

Day of the Imprisoned Writer: How can you Still Write in That Country?

On November 15 International Day of the Imprisoned Writer, PEN Turkey, Turkish Writers’ Union, Journalists’ Association of Turkey and Turkish Publishers Association have held a joint statement and raised concerns over imprisoned writers.

15 November 2019 Ayşegül Özbek

PEN: Turkey is Prison of Writers and Journalists

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER

PEN: Turkey is Prison of Writers and Journalists

PEN Turkey Center and PEN International have released statements on the occasion of November 15 International Day of the Imprisoned Writer. Among the five journalists whose cases are highlighted by the PEN this year is also Nedim Türfent.

14 November 2019

‘Gezi Park’s Second Hearing Confirms Lack of Rule of Law’

JOINT STATEMENT BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

‘Gezi Park’s Second Hearing Confirms Lack of Rule of Law’

Led by PEN International, 20 international organizations have released a joint statement denouncing the interlocutory ruling of Gezi trial. They have called the EU “to put urgent, consistent and collective pressure upon Turkey.”

Journalism Organizations Denounce SETA Report on Journalists

Journalism Organizations Denounce SETA Report on Journalists

Professional journalism organizations held a joint press conference to denounce the SETA report on journalists. “If anything happens to a single colleague of ours, the SETA is to blame for”, the organizations have stated.

18 International Organizations Send Letter to Erdoğan for Journalists Demirağ and Özyol

18 International Organizations Send Letter to Erdoğan for Journalists Demirağ and Özyol

18 international freedom of press and expression organizations have sent a letter to President Erdoğan for the recently attacked journalists Yavuz Selim Demirağ and İdris Özyol: “Publicly denounce these acts of violence and ensure journalist safety.”

2019 PEN Duygu Asena Award Goes to Saturday Mothers

2019 PEN Duygu Asena Award Goes to Saturday Mothers

The PEN Turkey Writers' Association has said, "We thought that it would be very meaningful to give the award to the Saturday Mothers, who became prominent as a women's resistance."

26 February 2019

PEN International: Release Our Honorary Member Selahattin Demirtaş

PEN International: Release Our Honorary Member Selahattin Demirtaş

Making a call to Turkey to abide by the ECtHR ruling and release Selahattin Demirtaş, PEN International has emphasized that he has been elected as an honorary member by PEN centers in Germany, Mexico and Catalonia and invited others to follow suit.

21 December 2018

‘PEN Translates' Award to Story Book ‘Seher’ Written by Selahattin Demirtaş

‘PEN Translates' Award to Story Book ‘Seher’ Written by Selahattin Demirtaş

The story book “Seher”, which was written by HDP’s imprisoned former Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş, has been given the “PEN Translates” award by the English PEN. The award has also been given to 15 other books from 15 countries and 12 languages.

19 December 2018

PEN Turkey: ‘We Find Imprisonment of 123 Journalists and Writers Unacceptable'

NOVEMBER 15 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITERS

PEN Turkey: ‘We Find Imprisonment of 123 Journalists and Writers Unacceptable'

PEN Turkey Center has held a press conference on the occasion of November 15 International Day of the Imprisoned Writers to attract attention to the imprisonment and difficult conditions of writers arrested for writing in Turkey and across the world.

15 November 2018 Hikmet Adal

PEN Turkey: Imprisonment of Journalists Cannot Be Accepted

PEN Turkey: Imprisonment of Journalists Cannot Be Accepted

On the occasion of November 15 International Day of the Imprisoned Writers, the worldwide association of writers PEN International has drawn attention to the imprisonment of journalists Shahidul Alam, Dawit Isaa, Wael Abbas and Oleg Sentsov.

12 November 2018

PEN Turkey to Speak on ‘Peace’ in September

PEN Turkey to Speak on ‘Peace’ in September

PEN Turkey will hold peace-themed panel discussions in İzmir, Ankara and Diyarbakır. Erendüz Atasü, Aslı Perker, Alper Akçam and Ahmet İnam are among the speakers to attend the panel discussions.

14 September 2018

Freedom of Expression Protest Against Erdoğan in London

Freedom of Expression Protest Against Erdoğan in London

Ahead of the meeting between Erdoğan and PM of England May, RSF members and PEN England representatives who rallied on Downing Street have carried banners reading “Free Turkey Media”.

Message of Solidarity From Margaret Atwood to Aslı Erdoğan on PEN’s Day of The Imprisoned Writer

Message of Solidarity From Margaret Atwood to Aslı Erdoğan on PEN’s Day of The Imprisoned Writer

This year, PEN International on the Day of the Imprisoned Writer, has drawn attention to five writers in prison around the World including Aslı Erdoğan from Turkey to whom Margaret Atwood has written a letter of solidarity.

15 November 2016

Aslı Erdoğan Receives Tucholsky Prize

Aslı Erdoğan Receives Tucholsky Prize

Novelist and columnist Aslı Erdoğan, who has been under arrest since August 19, has received the literary award the Tucholsky Prize.

21 September 2016

Necmiye Alpay Awarded Honorary Membership by Swiss German PEN

Necmiye Alpay Awarded Honorary Membership by Swiss German PEN

DSZP has awarded honorary membership to linguist, writer and translator Necmiye Alpay, who has been arrested as of August 31 on charge of “being a member of an [illegal] organization”.

14 September 2016

International Reaction Against Arrest of Önderoğlu, Nesin, Korur Fincancı

International Reaction Against Arrest of Önderoğlu, Nesin, Korur Fincancı

Right and press organizations, and the EU have reacted against the arrest of the TİHV Chair Korur Fincancı, RSF Turkey Representative and bianet rapporteur Önderoğlu and journalist author Nesin.

İstanbul Gathering Ends With Forum ‘Wars, Refugees, Reflexions on Freedom of Expression’

10TH ISTANBUL GATHERING FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

İstanbul Gathering Ends With Forum ‘Wars, Refugees, Reflexions on Freedom of Expression’

Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression organized by Initiative Against Thought Crime(!?) once in every two years has been held this year with the cooperation of bianet, Transparency International Turkey and Truth Justice Memory Center.

Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression on April 9,10

Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression on April 9,10

10th Istanbul Gathering for Freedom of Expression will take place on April 9 and 10. Also Dündar and Gül arrested over their MİT-trucks report as well as freedom of expression will attend the gathering.

PEN Report Analyses Anti-terror, Online Censorship, Judiciary Relationship

SURVEILLANCE, SECRECY AND SELF-CENSORSHIP REPORT TURKEY

PEN Report Analyses Anti-terror, Online Censorship, Judiciary Relationship

PEN International and PEN Norway have called to states which have relationships with Turkey, the Council of the EU and Internet and social media companies operating in Turkey about the government pressure on digital freedom in Turkey.

17 December 2015 Elif Akgül

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