Pen International Case List 2020
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PEN INTERNATIONAL CASE LIST 2020 100 YEARS OF CELEBRATING LITERATURE AND PROTECTING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION About PEN International PEN International promotes literature and freedom of expression. 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. Founded in London in 1921, PEN International – PEN’s Secretariat – connects an international community of writers. Governed by the PEN Charter, PEN operates across five continents through Centres in over 100 countries. The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International was set up in 1960 as the result of mounting concern about attempts to silence critical voices, globally. The WiPC works on behalf of those who are detained or otherwise persecuted for their opinions expressed in writing, including writers who are under attack for their political activities or for exercising their profession, provided that they did not use violence or advocate violence and racial hatred. Over time, the work of the WiPC in documenting persecution of writers resulted in the development of PEN’s Case List – an annual record of attacks, imprisonment and persecution of those who use the written word to express themselves. Every year member of PEN Centres campaign and lobby relevant governments for an improvement in the conditions of persecuted writers and journalists and/or for their release, as well as for investigations into cases of torture and killings. Through writing to prisoners, where possible, or to their families, they provide encouragement and hope. PEN International and its Centres also advocate for systemic change to restrictive laws and practices, including by submitting concerns and recommendations about freedom of expression issues to various international and regional human rights bodies. In 2021, PEN International celebrates its Centenary. One hundred years since its foundation, today PEN is recognised as the world’s foremost association of writers, as well as a leading international charity and expert on freedom of expression. Authors and Special Thanks Editor: Sara Whyatt Copy editing: Cathal Sheerin Authors: Alicia Quiñones, Ross Holder, Nduko o’Matigere, Mina Thabet, Sara Whyatt Illustrated portraits: Maxine Young Designed by: Brett Evans Biedschied Special thanks to: Aurélia Dondo, Laurens Hueting, Arife Köse, Emma Wadsworth-Jones PEN International is a non-political organisation which holds Observer Status with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, Special Consultative Status at the United Nations and Associate Status at UNESCO. PEN International is a registered charity in England and Wales with registration number 1117088. pen-international.org HAITI Jacques Roumain - poet and founder of the Haitian Communist Party. He was detained several times in the 30s and exiled for his political activities and opposition to the US occupation of Haiti. His case was the first of a writer in prison to be taken up by PEN. 1 19 31 57 111 139 1 OVERVIEW 19 AFRICA 31 AMERICAS ASIA AND 57 THE PACIFIC EUROPE AND 111 CENTRAL ASIA MIDDLE EAST AND 139 NORTH AFRICA PEN International Case List Charter Methodology The PEN Charter is based on resolutions PEN International gathers its information from a wide passed at its International Congresses variety of sources and seeks to confirm its information and may be summarised as follows: through at least two independent sources. Where its information is unconfirmed, it will either take no PEN affirms that: action, or word its outputs to reflect the fact that the • Literature knows no frontiers and must information is as yet incomplete. Sources include remain common currency among people in press reports, reports from individuals in the region in question, reports from other human rights groups, PEN spite of political or international upheavals. members themselves, embassy officials, academics, • In all circumstances, and particularly in prisoners’ families, lawyers and friends, and exile time of war, works of art, the patrimony groups. It also partners with other international of humanity at large, should be left NGOs, such as ARTICLE 19, Committee to Protect untouched by national or political passion. Journalists, Freedom House, Index on Censorship, and Reporters without Borders. It is a founder member • Members of PEN should at all times use of IFEX – the International Freedom of Expression what influence they have in favour of good Exchange, a collaborative, on-line service in which understanding and mutual respect between national, regional and international organisations nations and people; they pledge themselves involved in the campaign for free expression pool to do their utmost to dispel all hatreds and information and amplify each other’s voices. to champion the ideal of one humanity Writers are frequently also journalists and media living in peace and equality in one world. commentators, and vice versa, so PEN will also include • PEN stands for the principle of unhampered a person on the list whose primary role is as a writer, transmission of thought within each nation but who may be under pressure for their journalism. and between all nations, and members A journalist who is threatened for writing a book may also become a PEN concern, such as where crime pledge themselves to oppose any form of reporters publish books based on their investigations suppression of freedom of expression in into criminality. Similarly, PEN will on occasion take up the country and community to which they visual artists, including filmmakers and cartoonists. belong, as well as throughout the world wherever this is possible. PEN declares Rather than attempting to duplicate the work of its media rights colleagues, this list features those cases for a free press and opposes arbitrary that are either unique to PEN and are not within other censorship in time of peace. It believes organisations’ remits, such as writers of literature that the necessary advance of the world and poets, or where there is a crossover between towards a more highly organised political journalism and literature. It should also be noted that and economic order renders a free criticism the Case List can only provide a snapshot of what of governments, administrations and is likely to be a larger phenomenon: offences are institutions imperative. And since freedom often not reported, writers may self-censor, and other implies voluntary restraint, members obstacles arise in terms of documenting the silencing pledge themselves to oppose such evils of writers. This is highly likely to be the case for women of a free press as mendacious publication, writers as the full extent of censorship of women must deliberate falsehood and distortion of be seen within the wider context of gender-based facts for political and personal ends. violence, and lack of access to education, civil, political and cultural rights. The Case List is intended to provide an overview and an indication of global trends, and a guide to the type of challenges writers face, in which countries, and the kind of actions that other writers worldwide are taking in support of their colleagues. 1 Our work would be impossible without our Sponsors who include: Clifford Chance, the Fritt Ord Foundation, Moomin, Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), UNESCO, individual donations, contributions from PEN centres and members of the PEN Publishers Circle and PEN Writers Circle. Also our Centenary Patrons The President’s Group: Hachette Livre, Eric Lax and Karen Sulzberger; Atlas Folio Patrons: Anonymous Donor; Folio Patrons: Moomin Characters Oy Ltd, C.H. Beck; Quarto Patrons: Yann Martel, Octavo Patrons: Michael and Anne Golden; Special Mentions: Isabel Allende, Margaret Atwood, David Lagercrantz, Orhan Pamuk. Patrons of the Writers Circle Hanan Al-Shaykh, Margaret Atwood, Hanan Awwad, Catherine Banner, Jennifer Clement, Nina George, Arthur Golden, Hakan Günday, Karl Ove Knausgaard, David Lagercrantz, Eric Lax, Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, Geert Mak, Yann Martel, Vida Ognjenović, Sofi Oksanen, Arya Rajam, Ian Rankin, John Ralston Saul, Bernhard Schlink, Burhan Sönmez, Frances Spurrier, Colm Tóibín, Yosef Wosk. Patrons of Publishers Circle Albert Bonniers Förlag, C.H. Beck, Companhia das Letras, Finnish Book Publishers Association, Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore, Grupo Editorial, Hachette Livre, HarperCollins International, Luchterhand Verlag, Mareverlag, Natur & Kultur, Norstedts Förlagsgrupp, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Suhrkamp Verlag. 2 PEN INTERNATIONAL – A PANDEMIC YEAR OF CRISIS FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION In my bleak moments I sometimes wonder – Many governments believe in ‘shock and awe,’ if coronavirus did not exist, would and as such, the restrictions are not gradual. governments have invented something similar? And they are certainly not proportional. This sounds like one of the conspiracy theories Restricting a large number of people to meet about the pandemic spreading like the virus in public may be necessary, but restricting itself across the planet, but there is cruel logic journalists from reporting on that is not. to it. The pandemic has allowed governments Challenging conspiracy theories is essential, but to impose strict controls and restrictions on civil jailing commentators or writers who question liberties. We are effectively under house arrest, the authorities is not. Being transparent cannot meet others easily, cannot go out easily, about government policy is crucial,