Turkey: Cards provide encouragement and support to imprisoned writers

Messages of thanks from our detained Turkish colleagues provide clear evidence of the value of PEN’s Season’s Greetings initiative as a source of support and encouragement for persecuted and imprisoned writers around the world.

PEN members have received cards from our Honorary Member editor Ragip Zarakolu and from writer and human rights defender Muharrem Erbey thanking them for their concern, as well as the following message from investigative journalist and writer Nedim Şener. This message from Nedim was dictated to Dunja Mijatovic, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Representative on Freedom of the Media, during her visit to him in prison in December 2011.
 
Message from Nedim Şener, Turkish investigative journalist and writer

PEN Freedom of Expression Award winner and IPI World Press Freedom Hero
 
“To the International Press Institute, PEN International, other media freedom organizations and journalists -
 
I wish you a Happy New Year. I would like you to know that I am trying to represent you as best as I can here in Silivri prison.
 
I also would like to thank everyone who sent postcards, from all around the world, in support of me. I hope that when I leave prison, I can reply to all of you.
 
I wish everyone a world of freedom.”
 
Nedim Şener,
Silivri Prison
 
Ms Mijatovic also reported that Nedim was in good health and good spirits and is hopeful that he will be released soon.

TAKE ACTION

Send a message of support

Please continue to send messages of support as part of our Season’s Greetings initiative. Please contact cat@englishpen.org to request the full 2011 – 2012 list.

Write to a writer in prison

From 2012 onwards we are hoping that many more of our members and supporters will get involved in writing regularly to PEN’s cases of concern around the world. Please email cat@englishpen.org if you are interested in finding out more.

Join the Rapid Action Network

If you are interested in receiving regular calls to action on behalf of threatened, persecuted and imprisoned writers, why not sign up to our Rapid Action Network?