Doc. 12506
27 January 2011
Defend the freedom of expression – the case of imprisoned authors in Turkey
Written Declaration No 468
This written declaration commits only the members who have signed it
Taking into account that:
- the freedom of expression is guaranteed in article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights;
- the freedom of expression has to be defended in many member states of the Council of Europe;
- at least 44 authors and journalists are currently imprisoned in Turkey, six are charged or convicted solely for their works and the others are held under the pretext of a criminal offence;
- the author Doğan Akhanlı was finally released from the pretrial detention of almost four months based on obviously baseless and fabricated allegations;
- the author Nevin Berktaş was sentenced to ten months imprisonment because of her meanwhile forbidden book “Prison Cells” in which she describes her 21 years in prison;
- the author Pınar Selek faces a new trial in Turkey after the Court of Cassation has reversed two acquittals.
We, the undersigned, hereby declare our support for the imprisoned authors and journalists in Turkey. We ask the Human Rights Commissioner, the Committee of Ministers and the member states to investigate the imprisonment of authors and journalists in Turkey, to monitor the development of the freedom of expression and to support the independence of its judiciary.
Signed (see overleaf)
Signed: 1
HUNKO Andrej, Germany, UEL
ANDERSEN Karin, Norway, UEL
BECK Marieluise, Germany, ALDE
BRASSEUR Anne, Luxembourg, ALDE
von CRAMON-TAUBADEL Viola, Germany, SOC
ELZINGA Tuur, Netherlands, UEL
FRAHM Pernille, Denmark, UEL
GROSS Andreas, Switzerland, SOC
GROTH Annette, Germany, UEL
HURSKAINEN Sinikka, Finland, SOC
HUSS Jean, Luxembourg, SOC
JOHANSSON Mats, Sweden, EPP/CD
KANELLI Liana, Greece, UEL
KONEČNÁ Kateřina, Czech Republic, UEL
KOX Tiny, Netherlands, UEL
LOTMAN Aleksei, Estonia, UEL
MAURY PASQUIER Liliane, Switzerland, SOC
MÓSESDÓTTIR Lilja, Iceland, UEL
NORD Thomas, Germany, UEL
PAPADIMOULIS Dimitrios, Greece, UEL
PETRENCO Grigore, Moldova, UEL
de POURBAIX-LUNDIN Marietta, Sweden, EPP/CD
POURGOURIDES Christos, C