2016 Tyrkia: Can Dündar og Erdem Gül
Den tyrkiske journalisten Can Dündar, som er ein av Norsk PENs æresmedlemmer, blei saman med sin kollega Erdem Gül arrestert 26. november i fjor. For alminneleg kritisk journalistikk risikerer dei no livstidsdommar. PEN krever at tyrkiske styresmakter set Dündar og Gül fri og fråfell alle tiltalar mot dei.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
Cumhurbaşkanlığı Sarayı
06560, Beştepe
Ankara, Turkey
Oslo, 01.02.2016
Your Excellency,
Norwegian PEN has been deeply concerned at the arrest and detention of one of our Honorary Members, Can Dündar, and his colleague Erdem Gül. Now we are scared by the news that the Istanbul Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor is seeking an aggravated life sentence against the journalists. The sentences sought are much heavier than expected, and seem totally unreasonable. The whole world can see that the espionage and national security charges against them is just a politically motivated move attempting to censor and silence opposition voices. Together with PEN International we call for the immediate and unconditional release of both journalists.
We call on Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Can Dündar and any other Cumhuriyet staff members which are connected solely to their peaceful exercise of freedom of expression in their duties as journalists. Turkey has the obligation to respect the right to freedom of expression under the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which it is a State Party.
We especially appeal to you, Mr. President, to stop bringing cases against writers and journalists engaging in legitimate and political criticism. Detaining independent journalists and silencing critical voices has a too big prize, both for the persons silenced and for the country as a whole.
Yours sincerely,
Ms Brit Bildøen
Chair of Writers in Prison Committee
Norwegian PEN
COPY: The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
