English PEN are proud to launch our latest report ‘Turkey: freedom of expression in jeopardy. Violations of the rights of authors, publishers and academics under the State of Emergency’.
Researched and written by leading experts in the field and internationally recognised advocates for freedom of expression in Turkey, Dr Yaman Akdeniz (professor of law, Istanbul Bilgi University) and Dr Kerem Altiparmak (assistant professor of law at Ankara University), the report examines the impact of the Turkish government’s response to the failed coup on the publishing community and academia.
Dr Akdeniz joined Maureen Freely, Chair of Trustees, English PEN in London for the launch of the report, in partnership with the Turkish Publishers Association.
English version translated by Ayşegül Bahcıvan.
This report, written for English PEN by academics Yaman Akdeniz & Kerem Altıparmak, presents an overview of the current situation of freedom of expression in Turkey and engages in a critical evaluation of violations of rights against writers, publishers, academics and academic institutions.
Prior to the failed coup attempt in July 2016, criminal investigations and prosecutions were frequently used to silence dissent along with other restrictive measures. While addressing the historical suppression of freedom of expression in Turkey, the report focuses on the effects of the State of Emergency introduced in the wake of the coup and the silencing and chilling effect that this has had on many writers, publishers and academics in both their professional and private lives.