Turkey restores late poet Nazim Hikmet's citizenship

London, January 6 (ANI): Turkey has decided to restore the citizenship of its first and foremost modern poet, Nazim Hikmet.

The playwright, regarded throughout the world as one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century, had his citizenship taken away from him following his Marxist beliefs in the 1950s.

The poet, who spent much of his adult life in prison or in exile, subsequently became a Polish citizen.

During the 1930s, Hikmet had revolutionised Turkish poetry, which has been translated into more than 50languages.

The 61-year-old, who was awarded the International Peace Prize by the World Peace Council in 1951, had passed away in exile in Moscow.

Deputy PM Cemil Cicek said the time had come for the government to rehabilitate the late novelist.

"The crimes which forced the government to strip him of his citizenship at that time are no longer considered a crime," BBC quoted him as saying. (ANI)