Boos at the start of the PEN general meeting

Created: 05/13/2022, 11:12 am

Deniz Yücel, President of the Writers' Association of the PEN Center Germany, stands at the lectern at the beginning of the General Assembly.

© Martin Schutt/dpa

The annual conference of the German PEN center in Gotha has started in a heated atmosphere.

Already during the welcome and motions for the rules of procedure there were boos for the internally controversial PEN President Deniz Yücel on Friday.

A lawyer complained that many members had not received an access code for the online vote on the dismissal of Yücel and other members of the Executive Committee and were therefore unable to cast their vote.

Gotha - The members of the writers' association are expected to decide on the future of the PEN president and other board members in the afternoon.

The leadership team was only elected in October and has since made headlines with internal quarrels.

In essence, it is about insults, attempts at bullying and the tone of conversation.

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Boos at the start of the PEN general meeting

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PEN decides on Yücel's dismissal at annual conference

In addition to an application for the dismissal of Yücel, there is also an application to express confidence in the journalist at the head of the German PEN center.

According to PEN, a simple majority is sufficient for the motions.

dpa