Sevan Nisanyan has been living in Samos, Greece, an island that is a few kilometres from Turkey. Getty Images
Sevan Nisanyan has been living in Samos, Greece, an island that is a few kilometres from Turkey. Getty Images
Sevan Nisanyan has been living in Samos, Greece, an island that is a few kilometres from Turkey. Getty Images
Sevan Nisanyan has been living in Samos, Greece, an island that is a few kilometres from Turkey. Getty Images

Writer who fled Turkish jail fights deportation from Greece


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A Turkish-Armenian writer is facing deportation from Greece, where he has been living after fleeing a Turkish prison.

Sevan Nisanyan, a 66-year-old linguist and blogger, was detained on the island of Samos on Thursday after Greek authorities refused to renew his residency permit, his wife, Ira Tzourou, posted on social media.

She said a court on the island was to decide if he should be deported and whether he would be sent to Turkey or Armenia. She blamed “xenophobia and racism” on the island for his plight.

Mr Nisanyan had been jailed in Turkey in 2014 on charges of illegal construction, a case he claims was punishment for his outspoken views about restrictions on freedom of expression in the country.

He escaped from a low-security prison in 2017 and sought asylum in Greece.

The writer had previously been convicted of blasphemy over a 2012 blog post in which he defended an anti-Islam film that ridiculed the Prophet Mohammed and sparked angry protests across the world.

“We have no doubt that we will somehow get through these difficult days,” said Ms Tzourou on Twitter. “Sevan is strong and is not a person to be afraid of such things.

“He is counting down the days under miserable conditions at the central police station in Samos.”

Greek courts usually refuse to extradite people to Turkey who say they would face persecution.

Officials from the Armenian embassy in Athens have visited Samos to assess the conditions in which Mr Nisanyan is being held, it said on its Facebook page.

The Armenian embassy said it was “taking all possible measures to resolve the case” and has called for Mr Nisanyan's release from custody.

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Tell-tale signs of burnout

- loss of confidence and appetite

- irritability and emotional outbursts

- sadness

- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue

- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more

- impaired judgement

- excessive and continuous worrying

- irregular sleep patterns

 

Tips to help overcome burnout

Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’

Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do

Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones

Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation

Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.

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Top financial tips for graduates

Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:

1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.

2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.

3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.

4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.

The low down on MPS

What is myofascial pain syndrome?

Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (­connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).

What are trigger points?

Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft ­tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and ­sustained posture are the main culprits in developing ­trigger points.

What is myofascial or trigger-point release?

Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle ­sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in ­connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. ­Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.

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Qualified teams

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Updated: January 03, 2022, 5:22 PM`