Aslı Erdoğan is a renowned Turkish novelist and human rights activist. She was arrested along with more than 20 other journalists and employees of Özgür Gündem (a Turkish-Kurdish newspaper), which was shut down by decree following the failed 2016 coup attempt. After 4 months in prison, Erdoğan was released from jail in late December 2016, but was barred from travelling outside the country. While her travel ban was lifted in June 2017, the charges held against her were not dropped until February 2020