Pen International Writers in Prison Committee Caselist
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PEN INTERNATIONAL WRITERS IN PRISON COMMITTEE CASELIST January-December 2013 PEN International Writers in Prison Committee 50/51 High Holborn London WC1V 6ER United Kingdom Tel: + 44 020 74050338 Fax: + 44 020 74050339 e-mail: [email protected] web site: www.pen-international.org PEN INTERNATIONAL CHARTER The P.E.N. Charter is based on resolutions passed at its International Congresses and may be summarised as follows: P.E.N. affirms that: 1. Literature knows no frontiers and must remain common currency among people in spite of political or international upheavals. 2. In all circumstances, and particularly in time of war, works of art, the patrimony of humanity at large, should be left untouched by national or political passion. 3. Members of P.E.N. should at all times use what influence they have in favour of good understanding and mutual respect between nations; they pledge themselves to do their utmost to dispel race, class and national hatreds, and to champion the ideal of one humanity living in peace in one world. 4. P.E.N. stands for the principle of unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations, and members pledge themselves to oppose any form of suppression of freedom of expression in the country and community to which they belong, as well as throughout the world wherever this is possible. P.E.N. declares for a free press and opposes arbitrary censorship in time of peace. It believes that the necessary advance of the world towards a more highly organized political and economic order renders a free criticism of governments, administrations and institutions imperative. And since freedom implies voluntary restraint, members pledge themselves to oppose such evils of a free press as mendacious publication, deliberate falsehood and distortion of facts for political and personal ends. Membership of P.E.N. is open to all qualified writers, editors and translators who subscribe to these aims, without regard to nationality, ethnic origin, language, colour or religion. PEN INTERNATIONAL Writers in Prison Committee PEN International promotes literature and freedom of expression and is governed by the PEN Charter and the principles it embodies: unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations. Founded in London in 1921, PEN International – PEN’s Secretariat – connects an international community of writers. It is a forum where writers meet freely to discuss their work; it is also a voice speaking out for writers silenced in their own countries. Through Centres in over 100 countries, PEN operates on five continents. PEN International is a non-political organisation which holds Special Consultative Status at the UN and Associate Status at UNESCO. PEN International is a registered charity in England and Wales with registration number 1117088. www.pen- international.org The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International was set up in 1960 as a result of mounting concern about attempts to silence critical voices around the world through the detention of writers. It works on behalf of all those who are detained or otherwise persecuted for their opinions expressed in writing and for writers who are under attack for their peaceful political activities or for the practice of their profession, provided that they did not use violence or advocate violence or racial hatred. Member centres of PEN International are active in campaigning for an improvement in the conditions of persecuted writers and journalists. They send letters to the governments concerned and lobby their own governments to campaign for the release of detained writers and for investigations in cases of torture and killings. Through writing to the families and, where possible, directly to prisoners, they provide encouragement and hope. PEN International has consultative status with the United Nations and with UNESCO. Information sources The WiPC gathers its information from a wide variety of sources. It seeks to confirm its information through two independent sources. Where its information is unconfirmed, it will either take not action, or send an appeal worded to reflect the fact that the information is as yet incomplete. Sources include press reports, reports from individuals in the region in question, reports from other human rights groups, PEN members themselves, embassy officials, academics, prisoners’ families, lawyers and friends, and exile groups. It also partners with international NGOs, such as Article 19 and Index on Censorship. It is a founder member of IFEX – the International Freedom of Expression Exchange. IFEX is a collaborative, on-line service in which national, regional and international organisations involved in the campaign for free expression pool information and amplify each others’ voices. For further details see the IFEX website www.IFEX.org Our work would be impossible without our Sponsors who include: OXFAM/NOVIB, Swedish International Development Foundation, Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Swedish Ministry of Culture, the Fritt Ord Foundation, individual donations and membership fees from PEN members CONTENTS 1. Explanation of terms 2. List of cases by country Africa The Americas Asia and the Pacific Europe Middle East and North Africa 3. List of Centres with Honorary Members 4. Case statistics The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International records of persecuted writers are updated daily. For up-to-date information on a particular country (or countries), contact the PEN International secretariat in London. The last report was dated December 2012 EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED Important: Please Read KILLED – A writer or journalist killed in the period of this case list. PEN is certain the individual was a writer/journalist targeted for their writing KILLED: MOTIVE UNKNOWN – A writer or journalist killed in this period, but it is unclear if the individual was targeted for their writings KILLED: IMPUNITY – The killing did not occur in the period of this case list, but there is ongoing impunity for the killing i.e. there has been no conclusion of the case or no investigation has taken place ENFORCED DISAPPEARANCE – PEN is certain the individual is a writer/journalist and that their disappearance was carried out by the authorities or with their acquiescence ABDUCTED – PEN is certain the individual is a writer/journalist and that non-state actors are responsible for their disappearance REPORTED MISSING – A writer or journalist may have been abducted, but it is unclear who was responsible. May include cases where the individual was killed, but a body has never been found IMPRISONED - MAIN CASE – PEN is certain he/she is a writer/journalist who is serving a prison sentence after conviction in relation to their writings and as far as we know has not used violence or advocated racial hatred IMPRISONED - INVESTIGATION – Under PEN investigation. Serving a prison sentence, where one or more of the following is unclear: if they are a writer; if they have been detained or persecuted for their writings; if they have advocated racial hatred DETAINED – MAIN CASE – PEN is certain he/she is a writer/journalist and is being detained pending charge/trial or where there is no intention to charge them. Includes those held in administrative detention and unofficial house arrest. Can also include individuals in detention who are facing charges or are under judicial investigation DETAINED – INVESTIGATION – Under PEN investigation. Detained, but where one or more of the following is unclear: if they are a writer; if they have been detained or persecuted for their writings; if they have advocated racial hatred ON TRIAL – Including individuals facing charges, appealing sentence, but not currently detained or imprisoned JUDICIAL CONCERN – PEN has no position on the criminal charges against the writer/journalist in question but is concerned about reported irregularities in the trial or legal process or about torture allegations or the death penalty BRIEF DETENTION – Will be recorded as a brief detention where they were held for over 48 hours, but the individual is released without charge. There is no definite time limit, but it could up to a couple of months, depending on the region and context. DEATH THREAT ATTACKED – Indicates a use of force or violence causing physical damage to the individual or destruction of personal property e.g. arson THREATENED – where individuals have received threats intended to make them desist from writing (including ‘in hiding’) HARASSED – Including intimidation, brief detentions of fewer than 48 hours, dismissal from employment where it is linked to their work, etc. JUDICIAL HARASSMENT – for example, repeated arrests or summons for questioning where the period of detention is less than 48 hours or investigations suspended which can be reopened at any time, acting as a form of deterrence on the writer SENTENCED – where a writer/journalist has reached the end of the judicial process, has been sentenced, but has not yet been imprisoned CONDITIONAL RELEASE - Including suspended sentence RELEASED – including acquitted, end of sentence CASE CLOSED – A case may be closed when PEN has no access to updated information for six to twelve months, or case dropped due to new information – e.g. case not linked to their writings, use of violence, civil proceedings, etc. Further information on categories Main Cases In these cases, the Writers in Prison Committee will take all possible action for their release or for compensation. In cases where a prisoner is held without charge or trial for a considerable length of time, the Writers in Prison Committee will consider them to be a main case until and unless information is provided which shows that they have used violence or advocated racial hatred. Investigation case The Writers in Prison Committee publishes details of investigation cases so as to provide a complete account of reports of abuses against individuals practising their right to free expression in all countries. However, it will not usually call for their release.