Pınar Selek | Status: In Exile | Turkey
In July 1998, writer, sociologist, and feminist Pınar Selek was arrested in connection with an explosion at the Istanbul Spice Bazaar, a tragedy that led to the deaths of… More
Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Ahmet Nesin, and Erol Önderoğlu | Status: On Trial | Turkey
Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Ahmet Nesin, and Erol Önderoğlu are human rights defenders and journalists. On June 20, 2016, they were arrested and questioned about their involvement in a freedom… More
International Groups Call on Turkey’s Parliament to Reject the “Disinformation” Bill as a Tool of Digital Censorship
PEN America joins international calls for Turkey’s parliament to reject the “disinformation” bill as a tool of digital censorship. More
Ragip Zarakolu | Status: In Exile | Turkey
Ragip Zarakolu, director and owner of Belge Publishing House and a longtime activist against censorship, is on trial for "aiding and abetting an illegal organization" under Turkey's sweeping anti-terror… More
Years-Long Campaign of Political Persecution Ends with Harsh Sentences Against Three in Turkey
“These verdicts are the result of a years-long campaign of political persecution that Erdogan’s government has waged against his perceived enemies. From the very beginning, officials have made it… More
Life Prison Sentence for Cultural Rights Activist Osman Kavala is a “Dark Moment” for Human Rights and Democracy in Turkey
“Today is a dark moment for Turkey. The life sentence handed down to Osman Kavala is a devastating and unjust blow, not only to him and his family, but… More
Enver Aysever
A sociologist and former columnist for the independent newspaper Cumhuriyet, Aysever was arrested in March 2021 for "provoking the public to hatred and hostility” by tweeting a political cartoon… More
Şebnem Korur Fincancı
Fincancı, president of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey, was arrested after standing in solidarity with and serving as a “guest editor” for Özgür Gündem, a pro-Kurdish newspaper that… More
Yavuz Ekinci
Yavuz Ekinci is an award-winning literary writer whose work focuses on the situation of the Kurdish minority in Turkey. His tweets in support for the Kurdish community led to… More
Oktay Candemir
Candemir is a freelance journalist who writes pro-Kurdish opinion columns for news website Nupel. He has been prosecuted 25 times in the last two years on a range of… More
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PEN America On 
"Amid efforts to restrict books that include race-related themes, several new book clubs have launched around the country to keep literature by Black authors in the spotlight." #BlackHistoryMonth https://www.moultrieobserver.com/news/local_news/black-history-month-black-authors-keep-history-alive-amid-efforts-to-suppress-blackness/article_ff445067-f6a1-5ad9-892b-360850922553.html via @themobserver
Read our story on the DeSantis book bans ⬇️ https://twitter.com/penamerica/status/1621508379586985985
🧵4/8: This week @BKLYNlibrary & @PENamerica @jonfreadom launched the 1st session in our 4-week Freedom to Read Advocacy Institute. What struck me most in that workshop session was the craving our teen participants had for community, for connection. https://tinyurl.com/yy5ek3s5