Human rights activists call for justice for jailed Armenian-Turkish writerMarch 18, 2014 - 10:51 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Sevan Nishanian — Armenian intellectual, citizen of Turkey, civic activist, and prominent linguist — has been imprisoned in Turkey since January 2, 2014. The cruel and unreasonable nature of the punishment handed down for this intellectual, the steady deterioration in the conditions of incarceration, and the looming threat of new and escalating charges and trials have prompted a group of civil society organizations’ representatives and activists to come together and form the International Committee for Freedom and Justice for Sevan Nishanian. The committee regards Nishanian’s prison sentence as a mockery of justice and an unacceptable punitive measure that threatens the people’s right to freedom of thought, it said in a statement, according to Asbarez The committee regards Nishanyan’s imprisonment as a clear manifestation of prejudice and malice. This blatant mistreatment is motivated by his being a dissident intellectual who fights against the dubious theories and official historiography generated by the mind-set (to apply that term generously) of the Turkish state. The International Committee for Freedom and Justice for Sevan Nishanian calls on Turkish authorities to free Nishanian immediately and end the campaign of intimidation, harassment, and cruelty directed against him. The committee calls on international entities and human rights organizations, and appeals to the wider court of public opinion, to condemn and fight for the removal of the coercion and restrictions faced by Sevan Nishanian, and to campaign for Sevan’s freedom. The committee calls on all citizens of Turkey to stand by one of their own, an intellectual who has been victimized by the state’s relentless punitive machine, who has defended multiculturalism and fought so that it could prevail and flourish, and who has been an exemplar in this regard for his fellow countrymen and women. This committee declares that, in solidarity with others of free and strong will, it shall organize numerous events focusing on the Sevan Nishanian case in Turkey and abroad. Photo: nisanyan.com Related links: Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. Ex-President: Only removal of “defeatist” rulers can save Armenia Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Pashinyan: We must stop searching for homeland, we have found that homeland Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has shared a message on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. |