International PEN Blocked by Gendarmerie

Click to read the article in Kurdish / Turkish

The most crowded delegation of the International PEN, which dates back to a 100 years, went in front of Silivri Closed Prison to act in solidarity with imprisoned journalists and writers.

According to a report by Cumhuriyet newspaper, the group wasn’t hindered at any check points on the way to the prison. The delegation was stopped by the gendarmerie forces as they reached the waiting area in front of the prison.

Armed gendarmerie forces waited by the PEN members and deleted all the pictures taken. In response to journalists asking of the obstruction against taking photos, the gendarmerie forces said “Taking photos is illegal within the scope of the State of Emergency”.

The gendarmerie forces also broke in the press statement planned to be issued under spokespersonship of International PEN President Jennifer Clement.

“We are here today. We stand in front of these walls. In order to honor and act in solidarity with our friends who we want to see by our side as soon as possible…”, Clement could say before the gendarmerie broke in.

Furthermore, the International PEN sent a letter of solidarity to writers and journalists saying “We are writing to remind you that you are not alone. In this period in which your human rights are violated, we will not remain silent. We will raise our voice on a global scale against those who want to silence you”.

Signatories

Abraham Zere, Adam Gérard, Adonis, Ai Weiwei, Alline Davidoff, Andrew Solomon, Angie Cruz, Ariel Dorfman, Arthur Golden, Azar Nafisi, Beatrice Lamwaka, Bergen Véroniqu, Berivan Dosky, Burhan Sönmez, Carles Torner, Cecilia Balcazar De Bucher, Chigozie Obioma, Danie Marais, Danson Sylvester Kahyana, Elena Poniatowska, Elfriede Jelinek, Elif Şafak, Elisabeth Olin, Eric Bogosian, Eugene Schoulgin, Eva Bonnier, Evgeny Popov, François Rose-Marie, Frankie Asare- Donkoh, Grace Mutandwa, Hanan Al Shaykh, Ian Rankin, Iman Humaydan, Ingeborg Senneset, Jackie Dennis, Jean Jauniaux, Jennifer Clement, Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, JM Coetzee, John Ashbery, John Ralston Saul, Jonathan Franzen, Josef Haslinger, Kätlin Kaldmaa, Khadija Ismayilova, Lucina Kathmann, Luis Miguel Aguilar, Lydia Cacho, Magali Tercero, Mandla Langa, Margaret Atwood, Margie Orford, Mario Vargas Llosa, Maureen Freely, Meena Alexander, Menna Elfyn, Meurant Serge, Myo Myint Nyein, Natalie Arien, Neil Gaiman, Orban Jean-Pierre, Pascale Fonteneau, Per Øhrgaard, Per Watsberg, Peter Schneider, Phillipe Sands, Raymond Louw, Roanne-Rosenblatt Henri, Ronald Bluden, Salman Rushdie, Sirpa Kähkönen, Sjón, Sofi Oksanen, Syeda Aireen Jaman, Tade Ipadeola, Tarık Ali, Teresa Cadete, Thomas Rothschild, Tomasetie Monique, Urtzi Urrutikoetxea, William Nygaard, Yann Martel, Zülfü Livaneli. (EA/TK)