Tayseer Al-Najjar
On December 13, 2015, Al-Najjar, a Jordanian national, was arrested by authorities for a Facebook post in which he criticized Israel and the UAE. He served nearly four years… More
Nedim Türfent
Kurdish reporter and poet Türfent was arrested in May 2016 and sentenced to 8 years in prison on terrorism charges. During pretrial interrogations, he was tortured and forced to… More
İlhan Sami Çomak
Kurdish poet Çomak was arrested in 1994 and sentenced to life in prison for membership in the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party. While in prison, he has published eight books… More
Eşber Yağmurdereli
Blind human rights activist Yağmurdereli has spent nearly 20 years in prison on various charges related to comments about Türkiye's human rights abuses. Most recently, he was arrested in… More
Stella Nyanzi
Dr. Nyanzi was imprisoned on cybercrime charges in 2018 for writing a poem she posted online using President Museveni’s birth as a metaphor to criticize his repressive rule. She… More
Kamol Duangphasuk Mainueng K. Kunthee
In April 2014, the poet “Kunthee” was shot by assailants who approached his car in Northern Bangkok, then escaped by motorcycle. He died in hospital. The motive for his… More
Siraphop Kornaroot Rung Sila
Rung Sila was detained for writing a poem deemed offensive to the monarchy and faced 45 years in prison under the lèse-majesté law. Granted bail in 2019 after nearly… More
Zehra Doğan
In July 2016, Doğan was arrested for creating a painting of Turkish city Nusaybin bombarded by state security forces. In 2017, she was sentenced to nearly three years in… More
Nizar Nayouf
Poet, journalist, and activist Nayouf was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1992 for his membership in the banned CDF and for his role as editor-in-chief of the… More
Faraj Ahmad Birqdar
Syrian poet and activist Birqdar was arrested in March 1987 on suspicion of being a member of Syria’s Party for Communist Action. He was held without trial for 6… More
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