Arzu Demir

In 2016, literary writer and journalist Arzu Demir was accused of glorifying terrorism and sentenced to 6 years in prison for writing two books, Dağın Kadın Hali (Womanly State of the Mountain) and Devrimin Rojava Hali (Revolution’s State of Rojava), based on interviews with female guerrillas. She appealed the verdict later that year, but the court only reversed the decision on Dağın Kadın Hali, not Devrimin Rojava Hali. To avoid imprisonment, Demir fled to Belgium where she continues to write.