With 150 writers’ organisations from 100 countries worldwide, PEN International protected Fikret Başkaya with a declaration launched today (November 12, 2019). Başkaya is on trial at Ankara 21st Assize Court, facing an imprisonment claim for up to five years due to making terrorist organisation propaganda through his article, entitled, “The real terror is government terror,” which was published in November 2016. It is possible that a final decree will be issued in the hearing on November 22nd. Therefore, PEN International Chairman of the Writers in Prison Committee Salil Tripathi underlines this point in the message: “Once again, the Turkish authorities are using overbroad counter-terrorism laws to punish dissenting opinion. Fikret Başkaya’s article cannot in any way be read as terrorism propaganda. As sham criminal proceedings are set to conclude, we call on the Turkish authorities to drop all charges against Başkaya. No one should be sent to prison for peacefully expressing their views.”
Please click for the full message by PEN International: http://pen-international.org/news/turkey-drop-charges-against-fikret-baskaya
Fikret Başkaya is also a world-renowned writer, economist, philosopher, political scientist, academic and an expert “Thought Criminal.” He is one of the founders of Özgür Üniversite [“Free University”]. Başkaya was previously sentenced to imprisonment twice due to his book, “Bankruptcy of Paradigm” as well as to 20 months of imprisonment in 1992 and 12 months of imprisonment in 2002. In 2003, he was awarded the Turkish Publishers’ Union Freedom of Expression Award.
Please click for detailed information about Başkaya: http://www.biyografya.com/biyografi/6282