As protests in Turkey against President Erdogan's government grow, Goethe-Institut's Secretary General Johannes Ebert expresses solidarity with advocates for freedom of expression. Protestors are reacting to the arrest of Istanbul's mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu. Notably, 190 Turkish writers and public figures have condemned the arrest, highlighting Turkey's deteriorating democracy. Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk comments on the lack of genuine democracy and freedom of expression in recent years. This situation recalls the massive protests of 2013 linked to controversial plans for Gezi Park and highlights ongoing tensions between the government and civil society.
We stand alongside cultural workers and institutions advocating for freedom of expression and cultural rights.” - Johannes Ebert
For the past decade, Turkey hasn't been a real democracy merely an electoral democracy, one where you can vote for your preferred candidate but have no freedom of speech or thought.
Collection
[
|
...
]