The imprisoned Turkish journalist Ahmet Altan will receive the Geschwister Scholl Prize this year. He will be awarded for his book "I will never see the world again - texts from prison", as the Bavarian state association announced in the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels on Wednesday. "Ahmet Altan's texts show in a calm, clear way what Turkey is doing right now," the jury said.
Altan, a prominent journalist accused of being the critic of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was arrested shortly after the July 2016 coup in Turkey. He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in February 2018 for alleged links with the Gülen movement. The Turkish government blames the movement of US-exiled Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen for the coup attempt.
At the beginning of July, one of the highest Turkish courts rescinded life imprisonment. Ahmet Altan has not, as he was accused, "violated the Constitution". He had, however, known of the plans and the putschists willingly supported. Turkey has up to 15 years in prison. An application for release was refused. Another court hearing is scheduled for 8 November.
"Great steadfastness"
"With the politically motivated verdict a critical commentator of what happened in Turkey was deprived of his freedom," it said in the jury's statement. "Unfortunately, his fate exemplifies the situation of many independent journalists in increasingly authoritarian or even dictatorial societies."
Altan's attorney Figen Albuga Calikusu said Wednesday that her client did not know that he would receive the award. Altan still knew nothing about it. "He will find out from us."
In his book "I will never see the world again", Altan reports on his arrest and pre-trial detention, on encounters with police and prosecutors. He also portrays fellow prisoners. His reports testified to "a great steadfastness, the determination to be stronger in spite of all the privations than the interrogators, prosecutors and judges," it says in the announcement of the Börsenverein. "In a state of extreme bondage, Ahmet Altan affirms his inner freedom in a moving and courageous manner."
He reminds of the legacy of the siblings Scholl, to whom the award is dedicated. The award is reminiscent of Sophie and Hans Scholl, who belonged to the student resistance group "Weiße Rose" in Munich during the Nazi period and later were murdered by the National Socialists.
The award is endowed with 10,000 euros, the award will take place on 25 November in the auditorium of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität. "We would of course wish that he can receive the award itself," said a spokeswoman for the Börsenverein. "But also know that the chances are not very good."
