Elif Shafak, the Turkish feminist author - and not only one of C&P's biggest sellers, but also an incredibly nice, gracious woman who gave one of the best talks we've ever had here - is the latest in a long line of writers to be put on trial for 'insulting Turkishness'. It's not even her who's done the insulting - it's a fictional character in one of her novels. But that, it seems, is enough. If convicted, Shafak, who is six months pregnant, faces up to three years in jail.
Read more about it here. Then start writing angry letters.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Bizarre!
ReplyDeleteI like to think I hate the UK state but there are clearly worse places to have been born...
Elif is so great - anyone that wants to put her in prison should not only be ashamed of themselves but deserves a good smack.
Where (address or website) do you suggest we write letters to? The article in the Guardian, though informative, doesn't offer any further links.
ReplyDeleteTry the Turkish Prime Minister -
ReplyDeleteMr Recep Tayyıp Erdoğan,
Office of the Prime Minister,
Başbakanlık,
06573 Ankara,
Turkey
Fax: + 90 312 417 0476,
Email: tayyiperdogan@rterdogan.com
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister
Thanks, will do.
ReplyDelete