Turkey Frees Another Member of Embattled Music Collective
“Twice in the same month, we have had the rare opportunity to celebrate a Turkish artist’s release from prison." More
PEN America Welcomes Release of Turkish Musician
"Grup Yorum has faced years of persecution at the hands of the Turkish government, which has fallaciously accused members of terrorism for merely making music and has repeatedly raided… More
Ali Aracı Grup Yorum
Aracı is a member of activist collective and band Grup Yorum. Since the band’s inception, its critical songs have angered the Turkish government and members have faced serious threats.… More
Turkish Music Collective’s Cultural Center Raided by Police
"The Turkish government’s intentions are clear: harass, intimidate, and imprison Grup Yorum into silence." More
Turkey’s New Social Media Law Puts Stranglehold on Free Expression
The passage of an aggressive new social media law in Turkey presents a direct and multifaceted threat to free expression. More
Joint Letter on the 1000th Day in Detention of Osman Kavala
This letter was sent to the U.S. Department of State on July 23, 2020. Dear Assistant Secretary Destro and Acting Assistant Secretary Reeker: As representatives of Amnesty International USA, Freedom House,… More
Mehmet Baransu
Baransu has been detained since March 2015 for his reporting on an alleged coup attempt that referenced leaked military documents. He faces charges in at least four distinct court… More
Turkish Writer Faces Renewed Charges After Acquittal in February
(New York, NY) — Turkish prosecutors this week have reopened a spurious case against writer Asli Erdoğan. She now faces renewed charges of sedition, membership of a terrorist organization,… More
Aslı Erdoğan | Status: On Trial | Turkey
Aslı Erdoğan is a renowned novelist and human rights activist in Turkey who faced terrorism charges for her journalistic work. More
Gökçe Fırat Çulhaoğlu
Çulhaoğlu is a prolific author and lead columnist for political publication Türk Solu. His writing and tweets served as evidence of terrorism charges, leading to a 6-year and 3-month… More
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PEN America On 
Political rhetoric from Trump & the US AG is trickling down, bolstering federal prosecutorial efforts to build a national police power and to impose extreme penalties on protesters. Penalties for First Amendment activity have risen since Trump took office. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/27/917424823/critics-say-federal-prosecutors-are-pushing-the-envelope-with-protest-charges
