Journalists Þener and Þýk at the center of International PEN day
Journalists Þener and Þýk at the center of International PEN day
Today is PEN International's Day of the Imprisoned Writer.
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer is an annual, international day intended to recognize and support writers who resist repression of the basic human right to freedom of expression and who stand up to attacks made against their right to impart information.
This year PEN will focus on a number of specific cases from around the world that represent the type of threats and attacks faced by writers. The journalists which have been chosen as representatives of the threats and violence writers are subjected to are Turkish journalists, Nedim Þener and Ahmet Þýk, who have been detained for writing books and articles disclosing police and other high level links to individuals arrested in the Ergenekon case under which over 200 people are accused of being involved in coup plots.
The other journalists are:
Reeyot Alemu (Ethiopia), political columnist who has been held incommunicado and without charge since her arrest on 21st of June 2011. Ms. Alemu is believed to be detained under Ethiopia’s sweeping 2009 antiterrorism law.
Susana Chavez (Mexico), poet and human rights activist who was murdered on 6 January 2011 in an attack many have claimed was the result of her writing and activism.
Tashi Rabten (Tibet), poet and essayist, convicted of inciting separatism for a collection of political articles he wrote concerning the suppression of the March 2008 protests in Lhasa.
Abdul-Jalil Al-Singace (Bahrain), activist and online blogger who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for publicising the deteriorating human rights situation in his home country.
PEN will be also be using the day to commemorate the 33 writers and journalists killed since 15 November 2010.
PEN Centres around the world are organising various events to mark the day.
PEN German-speaking Writers Abroad will be hosting an event at the WDR Radio Studio in Cologne, including readings, music and an interview with Ragip Zarakolu’s lawyer. Highlights from the event will later be broadcast by the station. http://www.exilpen.net
Turkish PEN Centre will be holding a joint press meeting with the Turkish Authors Syndicate, Turkish Journalists Society, Contemporary Journalists Society and Turkish Publishers Association. The event we focus in particular on the recent arrests of Ragip Zarakolu and Busra Ersanli.
The Day of the Imprisoned Writer is an annual, international day intended to recognize and support writers who resist repression of the basic human right to freedom of expression and who stand up to attacks made against their right to impart information.
This year PEN will focus on a number of specific cases from around the world that represent the type of threats and attacks faced by writers. The journalists which have been chosen as representatives of the threats and violence writers are subjected to are Turkish journalists, Nedim Þener and Ahmet Þýk, who have been detained for writing books and articles disclosing police and other high level links to individuals arrested in the Ergenekon case under which over 200 people are accused of being involved in coup plots.
The other journalists are:
Reeyot Alemu (Ethiopia), political columnist who has been held incommunicado and without charge since her arrest on 21st of June 2011. Ms. Alemu is believed to be detained under Ethiopia’s sweeping 2009 antiterrorism law.
Susana Chavez (Mexico), poet and human rights activist who was murdered on 6 January 2011 in an attack many have claimed was the result of her writing and activism.
Tashi Rabten (Tibet), poet and essayist, convicted of inciting separatism for a collection of political articles he wrote concerning the suppression of the March 2008 protests in Lhasa.
Abdul-Jalil Al-Singace (Bahrain), activist and online blogger who has been sentenced to life imprisonment for publicising the deteriorating human rights situation in his home country.
PEN will be also be using the day to commemorate the 33 writers and journalists killed since 15 November 2010.
PEN Centres around the world are organising various events to mark the day.
PEN German-speaking Writers Abroad will be hosting an event at the WDR Radio Studio in Cologne, including readings, music and an interview with Ragip Zarakolu’s lawyer. Highlights from the event will later be broadcast by the station. http://www.exilpen.net
Turkish PEN Centre will be holding a joint press meeting with the Turkish Authors Syndicate, Turkish Journalists Society, Contemporary Journalists Society and Turkish Publishers Association. The event we focus in particular on the recent arrests of Ragip Zarakolu and Busra Ersanli.
