Tuna Altinel: detained in Turkey for two years now

Istanbul, April 12, 2021

Friends in solidarity,

Today is April 12, 2021. I have been detained in Turkey for two years.

It was two years ago today that my passport was confiscated in Istanbul, as a way to punish me for
exercising my freedom of speech in France. Since that day I had to confront the stubborn silence of
an autocracy, imprisonment, unfounded prosecutions, the obstinate recalcitrance in the face of my
acquittals, the constant refusal to return my passport. The State that put me through this ordeal did
not hesitate to violate its own laws.

During these two years, an international movement of solidarity has grown up around me. I wish to
thank all those who have taken part. Before such a massive support of democratic values, the dykes
of autocracy have crumbled: unlike most political prisoners in Turkey, I was quickly released from
jail; I was acquitted; the Regional Court ruled promptly on the appeals. Finally, on April 2, the
administrative court to which I had submitted an appeal of the refusal to return my passport has
ruled in my favor.

Friends in solidarity, do not be abused! This is not the end. Before us stands a lawless and arbitrary
power. The administrative court actually reached its decision as early as January 25, 2021, that is
two months and a half before I was notified. Such a delay has no legal grounds. The State, which
forced its own judges to this outrageous deferral, will not neglect to submit its appeal within 30
days (the legal deadline).

I call on all democratic forces in France. A new phase, hopefully the last, of this race of indefinite
duration has just begun. We must remain mobilised.

Tuna Altınel

Source:   http://math.univ-lyon1.fr/SoutienTunaAltinel/doc/2021_04_12_MessageTuna_en.pdf