De dag van de gevangen schrijver, 15 november 2016

In 1936 schreef de Turkse dichter Nâzım Hikmet, die met tientallen van opruiing beschuldigde collega’s in de gevangenis zat, zijn epos over het leven en lot van Sjeik Bedreddin, een opstandeling in het Osmaanse rijk. Het laatste vers van dat epos luidt als volgt:

Gestaag daalt de regen,
angstig
zachtjes
als gefluister van verraders.

Gestaag daalt de regen,
als hollende blote witte voeten van afvalligen
over de natte en donkere aarde.

Gestaag daalt de regen,
op de markt van Serez,
tegenover een kopersmid,
hangt mijn Bedreddin aan een boom.

Gestaag daalt de regen.
Het is een laat en sterrenloos uur van de nacht.
En het spiernaakte vlees van mijn sjeik,
dat schommelt aan een kale tak,
is nat van de regen.

Gestaag daalt de regen.
De markt van Serez is stom,
de markt van Serez is blind.
In de lucht het vervloekte verdriet van niet spreken, van niet zien.
En de markt van Serez heeft de handen voor het gezicht geslagen.

Gestaag daalt de regen.

(Vertaling: Sytske Sötemann)

In 2016 hebben de markten van steden, stadjes en dorpen over heel Turkije hun handen opnieuw voor het gezicht geslagen, omdat in Turkije weer honderden schrijvers en journalisten op beschuldiging van staatsgevaarlijke activiteiten achter de tralies zitten. Velen van hen hangt levenslang boven het hoofd, anderen zullen op z’n minst enkele jaren gevangenisstraf krijgen opgelegd.

Op 15 november aanstaande vragen wij u daarom uw stem tegen dit verbod op vrije meningsuiting, van beperking is immers geen sprake meer, te laten horen of te laten lezen. U kunt dit doen door dit bericht te delen op uw sociale media en/of uw dagblad of tijdschrift te verzoeken hier aandacht aan te besteden.

U kunt ook tijdens een eventueel publiekelijk optreden zelf hiervoor aandacht vragen, al is het maar in een paar zinnen.

Wilt u een gevangen schrijver met name noemen, dan volgt hier nadere informatie over Aslı Erdoğan, de Turkse schrijfster over wie wij al eerder schreven. Haar situatie wordt namelijk, mede vanwege haar slechte gezondheid, steeds nijpender:

Republic of Turkey
Aslı Erdoğan
Novelist, PEN member

asli-erdogan

On 17 August 2016, renowned novelist and PEN member Aslı Erdoğan was arrested at her home in Istanbul, Turkey. A columnist and member of the pro-Kurdish opposition daily Özgür Gündem’s advisory 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 disease and 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 journalists had 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 President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared 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 Aslı Erdoğan.

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Publicity

PEN members are encouraged to publish articles and opinion pieces in your national or local press highlighting the case of Aslı Erdoğan and the situation of freedom of expression in Turkey.

Social Media: Please use the hashtag #ImprisonedWriter

Suggested tweets:

Background

Aslı Erdoğan 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.

Aslı Erdoğan’s first 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, Kirmizi Pelerinli 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, Aslı Erdoğan 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.

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: Sahar.halaimzai@pen-international.org