Articles by PEN International
Turkey: government urged to dismiss charges against filmmakers of documentary “Bakur”
Nearly 50 civil society groups are urging Turkey not to make the country’s first conviction of filmmakers under its terrorist propaganda laws.
PEN International leads high-level free expression mission to Hungary
The delegation will meet with writers and civil society leaders to highlight the government’s attacks on NGOs, the press and its use of xenophobic language.
International groups condemn “Cumhuriyet” verdict
The fourteen defendants’ right to fair trial was consistently violated. Each were given heavy jail terms.
Open Letter – 6 month anniversary of the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia
Six months after Caruana Galizia was murdered, those who ordered the killing remain unidentified; members of the establishment continue to sue her for libel; some ridicule her memory.
Turkey should implement ECtHR ruling and release journalists Mehmet Altan and Şahin Alpay
The Court found that the journalists’ rights to liberty, security and free expression had been violated and that the two men should be released.
Turkey: Diplomats must monitor final hearing of journalists Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazli Ilicak
On 16 February 2018 Ahmet Altan, Mehmet Altan and Nazli Ilicak were convicted of “attempting to overthrow the constitutional order” under Article 309 of the Turkish Penal Code and sentenced to aggravated life sentences, or life without parole.
MENA governments bent on shutting down political expression
In a month that included a malware surveillance campaign in Lebanon, Telegram being blocked in Iran and crackdowns in Tunisia, the release of Hisham Al-Omeisy was a welcome bit of good news.
Life after sentencing for MENA’s political detainees
In December, MENA activists focused on the plight of political detainees serving lengthy and unjust sentences in obscurity.