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
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
Hayko Bağdat
Bağdat is a Turkish-Armenian columnist who has been targeted in the past for his articles criticizing the government; he now lives in exile in Berlin. In 2019 he was… More
Meral Şimşek
Meral Şimşek is a Kurdish writer currently on trial on charges associated with terrorism, for which she was sentenced to 15 years in prison. On June 29 2021, she… More
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PEN America On 
For months, a handful of books dealing with #LGBTQ themes have been targeted by #KansasCity area conservatives. But facing a new Missouri law, some schools have removed a wider array of books, including #SlaughterhouseFive, #Watchmen and #TheHandmaidsTale. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article266556371.html#storylink=cpy
Thrilled to see this important recognition of the deeply courageous work of activists from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, including @pen_belarus member Ales Bialiatski. #NobelPeacePrize2022 https://twitter.com/nobelprize/status/1578309539870318603
⚡️This year’s Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to jailed Belarus human rights activist, member of PEN Belarus Ales Bialiatski https://twitter.com/NobelPrize/status/1578309539870318603