Ahmet Telli
Telli is a poet whose work often focuses on Kurdish rights. He has faced persecution for his writing since the 1980s. In 2020, he was tried on false charges… More
Bariş Pehlivan
Author and journalist Pehlivan was arrested in February 2020 for “disclosing information” on intelligence agencies in his reporting. He was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison… More
Güngör Arslan
Arslan, a columnist, was editor of the Ses Kocaeli newspaper. One of the newspapers he owned was shut down after the July 2016 coup. Arslan was murdered outside his… More
Merdan Yanardağ
Writer Yanardağ faced 2 separate trials in 2023. He was tried for “insulting the president” starting in March, on charges stemming from a 2022 article. Additionally, he was detained… More
Memduh Bayraktaroglu
Bayraktaroglu is a columnist for Korkusuz newspaper. On February 24, 2023 a group of alleged ultranationalists attempted to raid his home following a tweet he posted two days earlier.… More
PEN America Calls for Release of Turkish Journalist Arrested Under Anti-Terrorism Laws for Airing an Opinion Critical of the Government
“PEN America stands in solidarity with Merdan Yanardağ and calls on Turkish authorities to release him immediately and unconditionally. Journalists and writers should be free to work and express… More
PEN America Condemns Censorship and Intimidation at LGBTQ Pride Events in Türkiye
“The decision by the Kadıköy District Governorship to ban events such as a Pride Month film screening and arrest attendees, and to ban a separate ‘tea and talk’ event,… More
PEN America Raises Concerns Over Free Expression and Free Press Protections Ahead of Runoff Elections in Türkiye
(NEW YORK) – With the first round of voting in Turkish elections concluded and ahead of an expected runoff May 28, PEN America calls on Turkish authorities to release… More
Abdulselam Kilgi Selamo
A scriptwriter and poet, Kilgi was arrested and detained at Izmir Airport on his way back to Türkiye from Germany. Sources say that the arrest was related to a… More
Ahmet Turan Alkan
A columnist for Zaman newspaper and literary writer, Alkan has been facing harassment for his written work since 2016. He was sentenced to 2 years and six months in… More
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