Ahmet Altan
Altan was detained after the 2016 coup attempt on spurious charges. After his life sentence was reduced to 10.5 years, he was released in 2019, but was promptly rearrested.… More
Mehmet Altan
In September 2016, authorities detained Altan and his brother Ahmet for allegedly giving subliminal messages "suggestive" of the July coup attempt during a television panel the night prior. Though… More
Ayşe Berktay
Alongside her literary career, Berktay is a staunch advocate for women’s and Kurdish rights. Initially sentenced in 2011 on terrorism charges after attending conferences on behalf of a pro-Kurdish… More
Aslı Erdoğan
Novelist and occasional columnist for pro-Kurdish Özgür Gündem, Erdoğan was detained after the 2016 coup attempt. Conditionally released four months later, she escaped to Germany. In February 2020, she… More
Nazli Ilıcak
In 2018, columnist Ilıcak was given a life sentence for “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” and terrorism. Her verdict was later overturned and she was released. In December… More
Thiagarajah Selvanithy Selvi
Selvanithy was the founder of the feminist journal Tholi. Reportedly critical of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's guerilla tactics, she was abducted by the LTTE in 1991 and… More
Shakthika Sathkumara
Sathkumara was detained for four months in 2019 for his short story “Ardha," under claims that it promoted religious hatred and insult for its indirect references to homosexuality within… More
Moheeb Al-Nawaty
Palestinian journalist and author Al-Nawaty was detained for unspecified “security reasons” in 2011 while translating his book in Damascus. In 2013, the Norwegian government reported he was in Syrian… More
Ali Al-Shihabi
Syrian Palestinian political analyst, writer, and blogger Al-Shihabi was arrested in December 2012 by the Palestine Branch of Syrian Military Intelligence. His location is unknown, but there are unconfirmed… More
Abduhadi Kasheet
Writer and journalist Kasheet was arrested in July 2013 by the Air Force Intelligence Branch of Aleppo. His death was first reported in October 2013, and was later reported… More
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