Journalists in prison as of December 1, 2010

Turkey: 4

Vedat Kursun, Azadiya Welat
Imprisoned: January 30, 2009

Kursun, former editor-in-chief of the Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat, was arrested at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, according to Bia, a Turkish press freedom group. He was charged under the country's Anti-Terror Law with spreading the propaganda of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in the paper's coverage during 2007 and 2008.

On May 13, Kursun was sentenced to 166 years and six months in prison on 103 counts of spreading "propaganda on behalf of the terrorist organization" and "committing crimes on behalf of the organization," according to Dogan News Agency. The Journalists Association of Turkey announced in July that it had awarded a 2010 Press Freedom Award to Kursun.

Azadiya Welat is the only Kurdish-language daily in Turkey.

Bedri Adanir, Hawar and Aram
Imprisoned: January 5, 2010

Adanir, owner of the pro-Kurdish publishing house Aram and editor-in-chief of the daily Hawar, was sentenced to one year and three months in jail in April 2009, the state Anatolian Agency reported. Adanir was charged under the country's Anti-Terror Law with spreading the propaganda of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.

The charges stem from a book published by Aram and written by PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, titled Kültür-Sanat Devrimi Üzerine (On the Revolution of Culture and Art), according to Bia, a Turkish press freedom group. Adanir was detained in the southeastern city of Sirnak as he was returning from Iraqi Kurdistan.

The charges, which could bring 50 years in jail, were pending in late year. He was being held in Diyarbakir Prison.

Gurbet Cakar, Rengê Hevîya Jinê
Imprisoned: March, 2010

Cakar, editor-in-chief of the Kurdish women's magazine Rengê Hevîya Jinê (The Color of Women's Hope), was charged under the country's Anti-Terror Law with spreading the propaganda of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.

Prosecutors sought a 20-year prison term on the charges, which were pending in late year. She was being held in Diyarbakir Prison.

Ozan Kilinc, Azadiya Welat
Imprisoned: July 22, 2010

Kilinc, former editor-in-chief of the Kurdish daily Azadiya Welat, was charged under the country's Anti-Terror Law with spreading the propaganda of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK.

A Criminal Court in Diyarbakir sentenced the journalist to 21 years in prison, the BBC reported. Yuksekova Haber, a local news website, said Kilinc was being held at Diyarbakir Prison.

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