November 16, 2006 - 16:15 AMT
Hrant Dink to Receive Oxfam Novib PEN Award in Hague November 18
Armenian journalist and editor of Istanbul-based Akos newspaper Hrant Dink won the Oxfam Novib PEN Award, Oxfam Novib announced on Monday. The journalist will be granted the award this Saturday by Mayor of The Hague Wim Deetman at the occasion of the Crossing Border Festival in The Hague. The Award includes an amount of money of 2500 euro.

The Awards have the intention of encouraging writers who are being persecuted. Dink recently was given a suspended prison sentence in Turkey of half a year, because of writing about the Armenian Genocide. He also has to face the judge on a critical article he wrote about a prior lawsuit he was in. According to Oxfam Novib Dink owes the award particularly to the exceptional efforts he makes for freedom of the press, freedom of speech and the Armenian question, reports the ANP (Dutch News Agency)