DAY OF THE IMPRISONED WRITER

15 NOVEMBER 2016

Republic of Turkey

AslıErdoğan

Novelist, PEN member

On 17 August 2016, renowned novelist and PEN member AslıErdoğan was arrested at her home in Istanbul, Turkey. A columnist and member of the pro-Kurdish opposition daily ÖzgürGündem’sadvisory board, which was shut down under the state of emergency that followed the failed coup of 15 July 2016, her arrest came alongside that of more than 20 other journalists and employees of the paper.

Erdoğan, who suffers from asthma,chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseand diabetes, was sent to a jail in Istanbul on preliminary charges of “membership of a terrorist organisation” and “undermining national unity.” She has been in pre-trial detention since her arrest, and no date has currently been set for her trial.

Erdoğan’s arrest comes amid heightened concerns for rights and freedoms following the failed coup attempt in July. As of 24 October 2016, 135 journalistshad been charged and were in pre- trial detention; at least 8 others were detained without charge and others were in police custody under investigation.

The Turkish authorities have shut down more than 100 media outlets, censored at least 30 news websites, and stripped more than 600 members of the press of their credentials; 29 publishing houses have been ordered closed and there have been reports of wide-spread ill-treatment in custody.Over 70,000 people have detained, placed under investigation, suspended or fired, including teachers, civil servants, academics and others.

Earlier this month, Turkish PresidentRecep Tayyip Erdogandeclared that he would extend the country’s state of emergency by 90 days, holding on to his almost unlimited discretionary powers to rule by decree. The extension came into effect on 19 October and will last for an additional 90 days, and could be renewed

While recognizing the right of the Turkish authorities to bring those responsible for crimes during the attempted coup to justice, PEN International calls on the Turkish authorities to safeguard freedom of expression, human rights and respect their obligations under international law during the declared state of emergency and to release all journalists and writers held solely in connection with their peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression, as appears to be the case with AslıErdoğan.

Take Action – share on Twitter, Facebook and other social media

Send Appeals to the Turkish authorities:

  • Urging them to immediately release AslıErdoğan who PEN believes is held solely in connection with herpeaceful exercise of herright to freedom of expression;
  • Calling for all detained writers and journalists to have access to lawyers and to be released if they are not to be charged with a recognizably criminal offence and tried promptly in accordance with international fair trial standards;
  • Calling on them not to use the state of emergency to crack down on peaceful dissent, civil society, media and education.

Write to:

Minister of Justice
Mr. BekirBozdağ
Minister of Justice
Republic of Turkey Ministry of Justice
06669 Kizilay/Ankara
Turkey
Fax: +90-0312-419-33-70
Email: |
Twitter: @bybekirbozag / President
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
CumhurbaşkanlığıKülliyesi
06560 Beştepe-Ankara
Fax : (+90 312) 525 58 31
E-mail:
Email:
Facebook:
Twitter: @RT_Erdogan

Please copy your appeals to the Embassy of Turkey in your country. A list of embassies can be foundhere.

Please send us copies of your letters or information about other activities and of any responses received.

Publicity

PEN members are encouraged to publish articles and opinion pieces in your national or local press highlighting the case of AslıErdoğan and the situation of freedom of expression in Turkey. Please also consider adopting her as an honorary member of your Centre.

Social Media: Please use the hashtag #ImprisonedWriter

Suggested tweets:

  • #Turkey release writer & PEN member AslıErdoğanimmediately &unconditionally #ImprisonedWriter@pen_int
  • On Day of the#ImprisonedWritertake action for writers resisting repression of their right to#FOE

Solidarity

Consider adopting AslıErdoğanas an Honorary Member of your Centre. Details of how to campaign for honorary members may be found in the Writers in Prison Committee Handbook, available here.

Background

AslıErdoğan was born in Istanbul, in 1967. She graduate in Computer Engineering in 1988 and obtained a Master’s Degree in Physics in 1993 before working as a high-energy research physicist at CERN, Geneva and completed her thesis in Higgs Physics there. While she was living and working in Rio de Janeiro, she left her scientific career in 1995 and after a two-year stay in South America, she returned to Istanbul as a freelance writer.

AslıErdoğan’sfirst novel, Kabuk Adam (Crust Man), was published in 1994 and since published seven books. Her short story Wooden Birds received first prize from Deutsche Welle radio in a 1997 competition and her second novel, KirmiziPelerinli Kent (The City in Crimson Cloak), received numerous accolades abroad and has been published in 15 languages. Her texts have also been translated to French and in 2005 she was shortlisted by respected French literary magazine,Lire, as one of the “50 most promising authors of tomorrow.”

A human rights activist since 1993, AslıErdoğan has frequently suffered persecution in Turkey, and has lived abroad in exile. In July 2015, she was welcomed as a guest writer in the Krakow City of Literature on a fellowship offered by the International Cities of Refuge Network, a close partner of PEN International. The City has also issued a petition calling for her release.

She has been adopted as an Honorary Member by Danish PEN and Norwegian PEN.

Please let us know about your activities for Day of the Imprisoned Writer and send us a report about them by 15 December 2016 so that we can share your successes and learnings with other Centres.

For further information please contact Sahar Halaimzai at PEN International, Koops Mill Mews, 162-164 Abbey Street, London SE1 2AN, Tel.+ 44 (0) 20 7405 0338, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7405 0339, email: