Freedom To Write: International
News
PEN Mourns the death of Turkish Journalist Hrant Dink
January 19, 2007
Geneva, 19 January 2007 - According to sources in Istanbul, Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink was the victim of an armed assault. Apparently he was shot dead today by an 18-year-old man in front of his newspaper offices, Agos.
Below is the official statement from International PEN.
Turkey: Author Ipek Çalislar and Publisher Ragip Zarakolu “Insult” Trials Postponed
October 11, 2006
Turkey: Author Ipek Çalislar and Publisher Ragip Zarakolu “Insult” Trials Postponed
The first trial hearing against the author of a best selling biography, Ipek Çalislar, and the continuing hearings against publisher Ragip Zarakolu were postponed again today, 5 October. They are among around 20 writers, publishers and journalists standing trial on charges of insult for their writings and publications. These hearings are often drawn out over many months and although in recent years have not ended in actual imprisonment, they are hugely time consuming and create enormous disruption to the lives writers who dare to comment on Turkey’s many taboo topics. Commentators suggest that the postponements may partly be in response to confusing signals from the Turkish judiciary following reports that penal code amendments could soon be underway, with special scrutiny of Article 301 that penalises “insult to Turkishness” and under which numerous writers have been prosecuted.
MALDIVES: Writer and leading opposition politician Mohamed Nasheed freed from house arrest.
October 11, 2006
2 October 2006
Update #2 to RAN 34/05
MALDIVES: Writer and leading opposition politician Mohamed Nasheed freed from house arrest.
PEN USA Mourns Anna Politkovskaya
October 11, 2006
PEN USA STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF ANNA POLITKOVSKAYA
October 9, 2006
PEN USA is horrified and saddened by the news of the October 7, 2006 murder of Anna Politkovskaya, author, journalist and advocate for human rights. Politkovskaya received the PEN USA Freedom to Write Award in 2002 for her work exposing human rights abuses during the war in Chechnya.
International PEN to be Present in Istanbul for Elif Shafak Trial
September 18, 2006
15 September 2006
Press Advisory
IRAN: Academic Ramin Jahanbegloo RELEASED
September 05, 2006
The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN welcomes the release on 30 August 2006 of academic and writer Ramin Jahanbegloo, who had been held incommuncado in Evin prison since 27 April 2006.
Mamadali Makmudov
July 20, 2006
Mamadali Makmudov was sentenced to 14 years in prison on August 18 1999, for his alleged involvement in the Uzbek opposition movement. Intolerance of opposition movements in Uzbekistan was rife after several bombs exploded in Tashkent, its capital, in February, 1999. Makmudov became a victim of the government’s suppression and prosecution of opposition figures shortly after the bombings.
Previous Action Alerts 05/11/06
May 11, 2006
CHINA: Journalist Yang Xiaoqing detained; health concerns
IRAN: Academic Ramin Jahanbegloo arrested; fears of ill-treatment.
See below for full story and link to MS Word Letters of Appeal