Gülmen and Özakça message from PEN, Rebecca O’Brien and Ken Loach
According to bianet, Pen International, director Ken Loach and producer Rebecca O'Brien released solidarity messages for Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça, who were detained yesterday on 75th day of their hunger strike.
“Our politicians must demand that Nuriye and Semih should be immediately reinstated”
The message of director Ken Loach and producer Rebecca O'Brien is as follows:
“We send our support and salute the courage of Nuriye and Semih. Their victimisation shames Erdogan, his government and the media which remains silent. All those, including our politicians, who claim to support justice and open democracy must demand that Nuriye and Semih should be immediately reinstated."
"Wernicke-Korsakoff" warning from PEN
PEN International, in a statement released on its website, defined the detention of Gülmen and Özakça "unacceptable" and demanded immediate release.
PEN also reminded that "they were recently diagnosed with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome by medical professionals”.
“By detaining Semih Özakça and Nuriye Gülmen, the Turkish authorities show once again their utter contempt for freedom of expression and human rights. Özakça and Gülmen must be released immediately,” said Carles Torner, executive director of PEN International.
Yesterday, around 1 am, Gülmen and Özakça were detained in a police raid to their houses.
Afterwards, police forces attacked to people who gathered around Human Rights Memorial in Ankara. Some people were beaten and detained.
Today, police blockaded the area and doesn't allow people to go near the memorial.
Gülmen and Özakça's lawyer Selçuk Kozağaçlı stated that they will be taken to give statement to the prosecutor today.
