Türkiye: Drop terror propaganda charges against writer Yavuz Ekinci
UPDATE
9 December 2024: Today the 23rd High Criminal Court in Istanbul dismissed all charges against writer Yavuz Ekinci, who faced up to seven-and-a-half years in prison on bogus terror propaganda grounds for his book, Rüyası Bölünenler (Dream Divided). PEN International welcomes the news and urges the authorities to Türkiye to work towards ensuring an enabling environment for Ekinci and fellow writers.
“The dismissal of the preposterous terror propaganda case against Yavuz Ekinci is a victory for Ekinci and fellow writers in Türkiye, who continue to be persecuted simply for writing books. While this ruling offers a glimmer of hope, PEN International continues to urge the authorities of Türkiye to facilitate an environment where writers can create freely, without fear of reprisals. Ekinci’s book, Dream Divided, is still banned for publication, distribution, and sale. We renew our call for the ban to be lifted, and for the rights to freedom of expression and opinion to be fully upheld.” Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President.
“The targeting of Yavuz Ekinci sends a dangerous warning to fellow writers in Türkiye, who risk being vilified and sent to jail merely for writing books that ostensibly do not toe the official line or dare explore difficult themes. The PEN movement will closely monitor Ekinci’s preposterous trial and calls for his years-long ordeal to end once and for all.” Burhan Sonmez, PEN International President.
10 September 2024: The authorities of Türkiye should drop all charges against Yavuz Ekinci, PEN International said today, as the writer faces up to seven-and-a-half years in prison on bogus terror propaganda grounds for his writings. The first hearing in the case will be held at the 23rd High Criminal Court in Istanbul on 18 September. PEN International reiterates its call on the authorities of Türkiye to stop using overbroad counter-terrorism laws to curb peaceful expression, and to uphold the right to freedom of thought and opinion.
Yavuz Ekinci has been charged with ‘making terrorist propaganda’ in relation to his book Rüyası Bölünenler (Dream Divided), a charge that carries up to seven-and-a-half years in prison under Article 7 of Türkiye’s Anti-Terror Law No. 3713 – routinely used to silence independent voices. Already on 14 March 2023, a court in Istanbul ruled that Dream Divided included content amounting to ‘terrorist propaganda’ and banned its publication, distribution, and sale. Copies of the book were also confiscated. The case is currently pending before Türkiye’s Constitutional Court. This is not the first time the authorities of Türkiye have targeted Ekinci for his writings. In March 2022, Ekinci was found guilty of ‘making terrorist propaganda’ and handed a suspended sentence of one year, six months and 22 days in prison, for eight tweets published on his Twitter account in 2013 and 2014. The tweets, none of which promoted or incited violence, for the most part related to the Newroz (New Year) celebrations in Diyarbakır, south-eastern Türkiye, and to the 2014 battle of Kobane in Syria. The case is now before Türkiye’s Court of Cassation. PEN International calls on the authorities to overturn his conviction.
As documented by PEN International, the latest case against Ekinci comes in the wake of a mounting crackdown in Türkiye on reading materials, the publishing landscape, and social media platforms, including those promoting creative content. Books arbitrarily deemed ‘detrimental’ to readers attract the ire of government officials and pro-government media alike, who vilify authors. Already in 2018, a smear campaign was launched online against Ekinci following the publication of his book Peygamberin Endişesi (The Prophet’s Concern).
PEN International urges the authorities of Türkiye to stop censoring and persecuting writers for the legitimate exercise of their right to freedom of expression – starting with Ekinci. Governments around the world should uphold the right to freedom of thought and opinion and encourage access to diverse literature. The authorities of Türkiye should allow Ekinci’s work – and that of numerous writers facing similar restrictions – to reach all those who wish to discover it.
Additional information
Yavuz Ekinci, born in 1979, has received multiple awards for his short stories, including the 2005 Haldun Taner Award and the 2007 Yunus Nadi Award. His work focuses on the plight of Kurdish people in Türkiye and has been translated into German, Greek, and Kurdish. He also works as a teacher and editor of Kurdish literature. Published in 2014, Dream Divided tells the journey of a Kurdish man who fled Türkiye for political reasons and struggles to build a new life in Germany. Upon learning that his father is gravely ill, the protagonist sets on a journey to find his long-lost brother, who took up arms years prior and fled to the Qandil Mountains. The book ends with a call for unity and peace.
For more information about PEN International’s work on Türkiye please see War, Censorship, and Persecution: PEN International Case List 2023/2024, which documents 122 cases of persecuted writers worldwide, including Ekinci.
Note to Editors:
For further details contact Aurélia Dondo, Head of Europe and Central Asia Region at PEN International: [email protected]