Bülent Şık is a food engineer and public health researcher, convicted for his whistle-blowing activities. Despite being barred from his research and academia in Turkey, Şık has remained steadfast in his work to spread information relating to public health which he believes the public has a right to know. Sustained attention and a proactive strategy by the EU and its Member States is needed to ensure Bülent Şık and other human rights defenders in Turkey can continue their work.