Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, 54, became a laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2006. He was awarded for «the search for the soul of its melancholic town» of Istanbul, says a press release of Nobel Committee. Pamuk has written several novels, which have become international bestsellers - Black Book, My Name is Red, White Fortress, Snow, as well as Istanbul - a book of memoirs. The ceremony of awarding the golden medal, a diploma of the Swedish Royal Academy and a check for 10 million Swedish crowns ($1.37 million or 1.07 million Euros) will take place in Stockholm December 10, 2006. The rules of the Swedish Royal Academy prohibit mentioning names of potential owners of the Nobel Prize not only in the press, but also in private conversations, reports Lenta.ru.

A criminal case was instituted against Orhan Pamuk in Turkey on indictment of «morally damaging, insulting, diminishing the dignity of the Turkish nation and making false accusations against it.» His statement on the Armenian Genocide was the cause for that.