Nedim Türfent

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Nedim Türfent

| image = Nedim Türfent.png

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| birth_place = Yüksekova, Turkey

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| nationality = Turkish, Kurdish

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| occupation = Journalist, poet

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| known_for = Journalist for Dicle News Agency, imprisoned journalist in Turkey.

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}}

Nedim Türfent is a Kurdish journalist from Turkey who worked as a correspondent for Dicle News Agency (DIHA) in the South East of Turkey. He was arrested on May 12, 2016, and charged with "membership in a terrorist organisation" under the Anti-Terror Law of Turkey. He remains in prison.{{Cite web|publisher=PEN International|date=2019|title=Case List 2019|url=https://pen-international.org/app/uploads/Case-List-2019-Web-2UP-WPFD.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200912012849/https://pen-international.org/app/uploads/Case-List-2019-Web-2UP-WPFD.pdf|archive-date=12 September 2020|access-date=|website=}}

Türfent is from Yüksekova in the far East of Turkey. He was jailed after the shuttering of Dicle News Agency in 2016, was detained without charge for the first 13 months of his imprisonment.{{Cite web|url=https://ahvalnews.com/journalism/jailed-journalist-nedim-turfent-pays-heavy-price|title=Jailed journalist Nedim Türfent pays a heavy price|website=Ahval|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}} Following this, he was charged with being a member of the banned Kurdish militia, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Witnesses who gave evidence against Türfent later stated that they had been deposed under torture, and the prosecution also relied on anonymous testimony.{{Cite web |date=29 November 2022 |title=Journalist Nedim Türfent released after six and a half years in prison |url=https://bianet.org/english/freedom-of-expression/270712-journalist-nedim-turfent-released-after-six-and-a-half-years-in-prison |website=Bianet}} Türfent claimed at his trial that he was being persecuted as a result of his reporting, in particular a story called "You will see the power of Turks", which criticised the Turkish police and military authorities.{{Cite web|url=http://bianet.org/english/media/191199-journalist-turfent-not-released-although-witnesses-report-forced-depositions|title=Journalist Türfent Not Released Although Witnesses Report Forced Depositions|last=|first=|date=2 November 2017|website=Bianet}} He was sentenced to eight years and nine months in prison.{{Cite web|url=https://pen-international.org/news/turkey-free-nedim-turfent|title=Turkey: Free Nedim Türfent|last=|first=|date=17 December 2018|website=PEN International}} On 10 October 2019, Türfent's sentence was upheld by Turkey's Court of Cassation.{{Cite web|url=https://pen-international.org/news/turkey-editor-nedim-turfent-prison-sentence-upheld|title=Turkey: Editor Nedim Türfent's prison sentence upheld|last=|first=|date=10 October 2019|website=PEN International}}

File:Nedim Türfent poster at Free Word Centre.jpg

Türfent is also a poet, and his case has been taken up by organisations like PEN International and the Irish arm of The Freedom to Write Campaign.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/books/dont-let-your-ink-run-out-neither-your-hope-irish-poets-giving-voice-to-imprisoned-writers-from-across-the-world-38684480.html|title='Don't let your ink run out, neither your hope' - Irish poets giving voice to imprisoned writers from across the world|website=Independent.ie|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/magazine/Hounded-writers-tell-of-their-woes/434746-5358788-f1afqlz/index.html|title=Hounded writers tell of their woes|website=The East African|language=en|access-date=2019-12-01}} On the 1000th day of his arrest, International Press Institute (IPI), PEN International and Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) wrote a letter to Türfent, saying, "We write to you today to tell you that you are not alone. We are with you and united our voices to demand your release."{{Cite web|url=http://bianet.org/english/human-rights/205190-3-freedom-of-expression-organizations-pen-letter-for-arrested-journalist-turfent|title=3 Freedom of Expression Organizations Pen Letter for Arrested Journalist Türfent|last=|first=|date=5 February 2019|website=Bianet}} He was released in November 2022.