Can Dündar

Renowned Turkish journalist Can Dündar launched a new Germany-based online news portal on Jan. 24, titled "Özgürüz" (We Are Free).

The date Jan. 24 was chosen to commemorate slain journalist Uğur Mumcu on the 24th anniversary of his assassination. 

An Istanbul prosecutor has sought life sentences for main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker Enis Berberoğlu, as well as 10 years in prison for daily Cumhuriyet's former editor-in-chief, Can Dündar, and the daily's Ankara bureau chief, Erdem Gül, over a report on intelligence trucks. 

"Noooo," I told my editor over the phone. "Noooo. It is not fair to ask me to deliver what Turkey's most upbeat writers have failed to do. There is nothing, absolutely nothing good about 2016, which the BBC called the most turbulent year of modern Turkish political history."

World-renowned Turkish pianist Fazıl Say is expected to receive the Beethoven Prize, one of the world's most prestigious awards given by the Bonn-based Beethoven Academy, on Dec. 17. 

The PEN International Office in Germany has given its Herman Kesten Award to the former editor-in-chief of daily Cumhuriyet, Can Dündar, and Cumhuriyet's Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gül. 

Sascha Feuchert, vice chairman of the PEN Germany Office, said "two brave fighters of freedom" were awarded a prize worth 10,000 euros in his speech at the Nov. 17 award ceremony.

Can Dündar, the former editor-in-chief of daily Cumhuriyet, was awarded honorary citizenship of Paris on Nov. 8.

Dündar, who moved to Germany as an appeal against his conviction for revealing state charges is pending, was awarded the honor at City Hall for "distinguished services" by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo.      

Journalists in Turkey started the week with the early bird news on Oct. 31 that yet another colleague had been taken into police custody after a raid on his house.

Istanbul police raided the house of Can Dündar in the Çengelköy neighborhood of Istanbul, the former editor-in-chief of daily Cumhuriyet, as part of an operation against the newspaper on Oct. 31.

Police could not find anyone at home, but Can Dündar's wife, Dilek Dündar, flew from İzmir to Istanbul to open the house to police.

Turkish police have arrested the Editor-in-Chief of daily Cumhuriyet and others from the newspaper, Hürriyet Daily News reports, citing local media outlets.

State-run Anadolu Agency also reports raids have been made into the homes of Executive Board Chairman Akın Atalay and Güray Öz.

Eleven people, including executives and columnists of the critical daily Cumhuriyet newspaper, were detained in a series of raids on their homes early on Oct. 31, after prosecutors initiated a probe against them on "terrorism" charges.