ANCA.#FreeSevan
On September 23, 2016 friends of Sevan Nisanyan - a
dissident writer and courageous intellectual unfairly imprisoned by the Erdogan
regime since January of 2014 - organized a ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey to
celebrate the William Saroyan Medal bestowed upon him by Armenia's Diaspora
Ministry. As part of this evening, leaders of the International Committee for
Freedom and Justice for Sevan Nisanyan read messages of solidarity sent from
around the world, including from the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA). Here is the ANCA's letter, read aloud in the Turkish language (the
English text is provided below).
For full Asbarez coverage of the ceremony:
http://asbarez.com/…/jailed-author-sevan-nisanian-awarded-…/
Video URL:
https://www.facebook.com/ancagrassroots/videos/10154156190576859/
Dear Sevan:
You have been aptly described as Turkey’s conscience - a
writer, intellectual and iconoclastic dismantler of officially imposed history.
A respected etymologist and famed polymath. A proud Armenian, a citizen of
Turkey educated by two of America’s most prestigious universities, Yale and
Columbia, you have never been afraid to challenge orthodoxy or fight for human
freedom.
And for this, you have been unjustly imprisoned for
nearly three years, far too often in solitary confinement.
The Turkish government has - against all evidence and reason
- attempted to defend your unjust imprisonment due to a building code
violation. We understand, in fact, that you are the only person in prison in
Turkey for a building code violation. And this for building on your very own
property.
As deeply outraged as we are by your unjust imprisonment,
we have not been surprised by your harsh treatment at the hands of a government
run by a man who - on top of all his other crimes - committed one of the most
monumental building code violations of Turkey's history - building a $615
million, 1,150-room presidential palace on protected land, in defiance of a
court order.
Neither Turkey’s selective application of its own laws
nor its undemocratic persecution of its own citizens is lost on its
international partners, even if these governments lack the courage to challenge
these flagrant injustices.
As Turkey's only inmate serving time for a zoning
violation, it is clear to all the world that you have been persecuted not for
the location of your construction but rather for expression of your conscience
- and, also, sadly, it must be noted, because of your Armenian heritage.
Before you were imprisoned, you presciently warned of
rising intolerance for speech in Turkey. You were tragically right. All that
you foresaw has come to pass, and more.
In these trying times - amid such a violent crackdown on
all forms of dissent - Turkey needs more free speech, not less. More debate,
not less democracy. More hope and less fear.
In a country, where Armenians are one the most targeted groups
for hate speech and the President himself considers being called an
"Armenian" an insult, who can deny the role your Armenian identity
has played in your persecution?
In a country where the masterminds of Hrant Dink’s
cold-blooded murder still walk free, who can deny the role your Armenian
identity has played in your persecution?
In a country whose government promotes Armenian
Genocide-denial within and even outside its borders and where demonstrators at
government backed rallies openly chant, "A good Armenian is a dead
Armenian," who can deny the role your Armenian identity has played in your
persecution?
On this occasion, as you receive the William Saroyan
Award from Armenia's Diaspora Minister, we recall this great author's defiant
words, "Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into
the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if
they will not laugh, sing and pray again." In your example, we see the
steel will behind Saroyan's words.
We congratulate you on this prestigious award and hope to
meet you soon as a free man. We again call on our United States government,
including Ambassador John Bass, to advocate for your immediate release. We will
continue to fight for your freedom in defense of free speech and in the
interest of a more pluralist, democratic, and progressive future for all the
citizens of Turkey.
Aram Hamparian
Executive Director
ANCA | Armenian National Committee of America
#FreeSevan
Sevan Nisanyan Սեւան Նշանեան
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