Two translators among arrested human rights defenders in Istanbul

Two translators among arrested human rights defenders in Istanbul

On 5 July 2017, ten human rights defenders from various international organisations who took part in a workshop on the island of Büyükada, Istanbul, were arrested. Two of them, İdil Eser and Özlem Dalkıran, also work as translators. Both are members of the Translators´ Association Turkey (Çevirmenler Birliği, ÇEVBİR).

The workshop in Istanbul, attended by eight human rights defenders from Turkey and facilitated by two workshop facilitators from Germany and Sweden respectively, was a routine meeting to assist human rights defenders in carrying out advocacy activities. →

First hearing in the case against the detained translator Necmiye Alpay, author Aslı Erdoğan and other members of the advisory board of the newspaper Özgür Gündem. They risk a life sentence.

First hearing in the case against the detained translator Necmiye Alpay, author Aslı Erdoğan and other members of the advisory board of the newspaper Özgür Gündem. They risk a life sentence.

On 24 November 2016, the first hearing was held in the case against the translator Necmiye Alpay, the author Aslı Erdoğan and other members of the advisory board of the now banned newspaper Özgür Gündem. The hearing took place in the court house in Çağlayan, Istanbul.

Aslı Erdoğan was arrested on 19 August 2016 and Necmiye Alpay on 31 August 2016. →

New website: KurdîLit – Network for Kurdish literature and publishing in Turkey

New website: KurdîLit – Network for Kurdish literature and publishing in Turkey

Although  Kurdish-language publishing in Turkey has picked up speed, especially in the last ten years, Diyarbakır Arts Center (http://www NULL.diyarbakirsanat NULL.org/en/default NULL.aspx) and Lîs Editions (http://www NULL.wesanenlis NULL.com/) noticed that the limited visibility of Kurdish-language literature in Turkey and in the international arena continues to be a problem, both for producers and for readers. →

CEATL sends letter to Turkish authorities demanding release of Turkish translator Necmiye Alpay

CEATL sends letter to Turkish authorities demanding release of Turkish translator Necmiye Alpay

On 31 August 2016, Turkish translator, editor, critic, author and linguist Necmiye Alpay (70) was arrested. Alpay is a member of the Turkish Association of Translators (ÇEVBİR (http://cevbir NULL.org NULL.tr/)), represented in CEATL.

Necmiye Alpay has always been a staunch defender of freedom of expression and a voice calling for peace between Turkey and the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party). →

Petition of PEN America Translation Committee: Free Turkish translator Necmiye Alpay

Petition of PEN America Translation Committee: Free Turkish translator Necmiye Alpay

PEN America Translation Committee took the initiative for a petition to demand that Turkey release translator, writer and free speech defender Necmiye Alpay. Alpay has been unjustly imprisoned since her arrest on 31 August 2016.

For those of you who wish to sign the petition and/or share it with others, please click here (https://pen NULL.org/free-turkish-translator-necmiye-alpay). →

Freedom of expression and refugees are the main themes at International Translation Day in Turkey (Istanbul, 30 September 2016)

Freedom of expression and refugees are the main themes at International Translation Day in Turkey (Istanbul, 30 September 2016)

On the occasion of International Translation Day, the Turkish Translators’ Association (ÇEVBİR (http://cevbir NULL.net/)), in cooperation with Translation and Interpreting Association Turkey (Çeviri Derneği (http://ceviridernegi NULL.org/)) and the Association of Publishers in Turkey (YAYBİR (http://www NULL.yaybir NULL.org NULL.tr/)) will organise a meeting on 30 September in Istanbul. →

Call for papers: Creativity in Translation/Interpretation and Interpreter/Translator Training (deadline: 15 December 2015)

Call for papers: Creativity in Translation/Interpretation and Interpreter/Translator Training (deadline: 15 December 2015)

On 5-6 May a two-day conference will be held in Naples (Italy) on the topic of creativity in translation / interpretation and interpreter / translator training.

The conference will be organised by the Università Suor Orsola Benincasa (Naples, Italy) in collaboration with KU Leuven, Belgium, and the University of Western Brittany, Brest, France with the support of Assointerpreti and the Università di Salerno and the participation of Yıldız Technical University (Istanbul, Turkey). →

Literary translator and sociologist Suphi Nejat Ağırnaslı killed in Kobanê

Literary translator and sociologist Suphi Nejat Ağırnaslı killed in Kobanê

The Turkish Association of Translators (ÇEVBİR) lost a friend and colleague, Suphi Nejat Ağırnaslı, in the resistance movement in Kobanê (Syria).

Ağırnaslı (30) studied sociology at the Bosporus University in Istanbul. In 2011 he received his MA degree with a thesis on the neglect of safety measures in the docks in Tuzla (Istanbul) where many labourers die as a result of job-related accidents. →

Special award of Publishers’ Union of Turkey for imprisoned translator Tonguç Ok

On 4 June during its annual award ceremony for the Prizes for Freedom of Thought and Expression the Publishers’ Union of Turkey (Türkiye Yazarlar Birliği; TYB) awarded its Special Prize to translator Mr Tonguç Ok.

Ok (40) started his career as a translator while in prison. He was arrested in 1997 when a third-grade student of English at Marmara University (Istanbul). →

CEATL expresses its concern to Turkish ministries

CEATL recently sent a letter to the Turkish minister of Culture and Tourism and the minister of Justice to express its concern about the restriction of the freedom of expression of translators and publishers in Turkey.

The reason for this letter is a law case against the Turkish translator and publisher of the novel Les exploits d’un jeune Don Juan by French author Guillaume Apollinaire on the charges of dissemination of an obscene text. →

Suspension in court case against Turkish translator and publisher of Apollinaire

On Tuesday 17 December 2013 there was another hearing in the court case against the translator and the publisher of the Turkish edition of Apollinaire’s novel Les exploits d’un jeune Don Juan.

The case started in 2010, when the translator İsmail Yerguz and publisher İrfan Sancı of publishing house Sel Yayınları were accused of contributing to the dissemination of an obscene work. →

Verdict in reopened case against Turkish translator and publisher of Apollinaire again suspended

The reopened leagal case against the Turkish translator and publisher of Apollinaire’s novel Les Exploits d’un Jeune Don Juan by Guillaume Apollinaire continues.

In 2009 İsmail Yerguz’ Turkish translation of the novel, Genç Bir Don Juan’ın Maceraları, was issued by publishing house Sel Yayıncılık. A year later both the translator and the publishing house, represented by İrfan Sancı, were brought to court on charges of aiding the publication of obscene texts. →

Turkish court reopens case against translator and publisher of Apollinaire

In 2010 charges were filed against translator İsmail Yerguz and Istanbul based publishing house Sel Yayınları for their assistance to spread obscene texts. The books at stake were the Turkish editions of the two French novels: ‘Correspondance d’une Bourgeoise Avertie’ (Görgülü ve Bilgili bir Burjuva Kadının Mektupları)  by P.V. and ‘Les Exploits d’un Jeune Don Juan’ (Genç Bir Don Juan’ın Maceraları) by Guillaume Apollinaire. →

The British Council launches a prize for young translators of Turkish literature into English

In partnership with the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) and with support from the Yunus Emre Institute in London, the British Council has launched a new prize for young translators of Turkish literature into English. The prize is part of the British Council’s wider work to generate stronger cultural links between Turkey and the UK in the field of literature, and one of the winners will receive a tailored mentorship with distinguished translator and writer Maureen Freely, who has translated, among other things, the novels of Nobel Prize winning author Orhan Pamuk. →

Literary Translators’ Society Turkey (ÇEVBİR) wins court case for plagiarism

Plagiarism of translations is still one of the problems haunting the Turkish book market. It is particularly widespread among publications of the classics, popular novels of nineteenth century French and Russian authors such as War and Peace by Tolstoy, Dead Souls by Gogol or Flaubert’s Madame Bovary . Nearly all classic novels are published by more than one publishing house – for instance there are at least twelve editions of War and Peace available. →