Kurdish PEN member, writer Meral Şimşek, confirmed that she was beaten, strip searched and detained by the Greek police while crossing from Turkey into the island on 29 June. Şimşek was beaten for hours by the Greek police. She was trying to explain to the Greek police that in Turkey she is under investigation for "propaganda for a terrorist organisation" and for "membership of a terrorist organization". She said she was a member of PEN but all explanations were in vain. Şimşek said that the Greek police harassed both her and a Syrian woman named Dicle.

Şimşek also said that the police confiscated her computer, mobile phone and large amount of money they had with them, and after about 24 hours, the woman with him was thrown into the waters of Meriç.

Şimşek is a renown Kurdish writers and has won national and international literary awards. She was arrested on the grounds of "violating the ban on going abroad" when she was sent back to Ipsala. Şimşek was released after 8 days in prison.