INTERNATIONAL PEN Writers in Prison Committee HALF-YEARLY CASELIST to 30 June 2005 International PEN Writers in Prison Committee 9/10 Charterhouse Buildings London EC1M 7AT United Kingdom Tel: + 44 020 7253 3226 Fax: + 44 020 7253 5711 e-mail: [email protected] web site: www.internatpen.org INTERNATIONAL PEN Writers in Prison Committee International PEN is the leading voice of literature worldwide, bringing together poets, novelists, essayists, historians, critics, translators, editors, journalists and screenwriters. Its members are united in a common concern for the craft and art of writing and a commitment to freedom of expression through the written word. Through its Centres, PEN operates on all five continents with 138 centres in 101 countries. Founded in London in 1921, PEN 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. The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN was set up in 1960 as a result of mounting concern about attempts to silence crit- ical 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 International PEN 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 inves- tigations in cases of torture and killings. Through writing to the families and, where possible, directly to prisoners, they provide encouragement and hope. International PEN has consultative status at the United Nations Commission of Human Rights and with UNESCO. INTERNATIONAL PEN CHARTER The PEN Charter is based on resolutions passed at its international congresses and may be summarised as follows: PEN 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. 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 incom- plete. Sources include press reports, reports form 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 works with international NGOs, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. It is a founder member of IFEX – the International Freedom of Expression Exchange. IFEX is a collaborative, on-line service in which several groups involved in the campaign for free expression pool information. Other members include Article 19, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Index on Censorship, the International Federation of Journalists and Reporters sans Frontieres, as well as regional and national groups. For further details see the IFEX website www.IFEX.org Our work would be impossible without our Sponsors who include: NOVIB, Swedish International Development Foundation, Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Fritt Ord Foundation, UNESCO, Individual donations and membership fees from PEN members Bank details: International PEN Foundation Account, National Westminster Bank, 134 Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4JB. Sort code: 60-05-37 Account: 81901763. 2 Registered Charity no: 1010627 Contents List of cases by country 4 Centres with Writers in Prison Committees 72 Africa 4 List of Main Cases by Country 72 The Americas 21 Case statistics 73 Asia and Pacific 31 Europe and Central Asia 48 Middle East 63 The Writers in Prison Committee of International PEN records of persecuted writers are updated daily. For up-to-date information on a particular country (or countries), contact the Writers in Prison Committee headquarters in London. Anyone wishing to take action on any individual mentioned in this Caselist should contact the Writers in Prison Committee headquarters for any update there may be on the case and for advice on appeals. Explanation of Terms Used Important: Please Read Main Cases Those cases listed as 'main cases' are those where the Writers in Prison Committee is confident that: i. the person is a writer or journalist or is persecuted because of their writings; ii. the person has not used violence towards his or her aims or advocated racial hatred. 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. Judicial concern These are cases where the main concern includes convictions based on trial proceedings which were manifestly unfair, where there are serious concerns regarding allegations of torture or where there are other irregularities in the judicial process. In these cases, the Writers in Prison Committee calls for a re-trial following fair trial practice or is calling for an investigation of the alleged malpractice and for those found guilty of committing such acts as torture to be brought to justice. Investigation case An investigation case is one where the Writers in Prison Committee: i. needs more information to ascertain whether a person is a writer or is persecuted for their writings; ii. is not clear as to whether or not he or she has used violence or advocated racial hatred; iii. has insufficient information to confirm that the event has taken place; iv is seeking confirmation that the person is still detained. The Writers in Prison Committee publishes details of investigation cases so as to provide a complete account of reports of abuses against individuals practicising their right to free expression in all countries. However, it will not usually call for their release. Once sufficient information is available, their cases will be reclassified as a main case or dropped as appropriate. '*' by a name indicates that the case is new to the Committee's list since the last Writers in Prison Committee report. The last report was dated December 2004. 3 Caselist January to June 2005 International PEN Writers in Prison Committee Sentenced in absentia Details current up to 30 June 2005 *Farid ALILAT: former publication director of the daily newspaper Liberté, along with Liberté cartoonist Ali Dilem, was handed down a six- month prison term with no parole and received a 250,000 dinar (approx. US$3,500) fine for criminal defamation on 28 June 2005. The newspaper AFRICA was fined 1.5 million dinars. Alilat was sentenced in absentia. The sentencing stems from the publication in Liberté in 2003 of a cartoon that dealt with the 2004 presidential election. Both journalists and paper were (including Francophone North Africa) accused of ‘insulting the head of state’. Previously, Farid Alilat was sentenced in absentia to a one-year prison sentence on 24 May 2005 for defaming President Abdelaziz Bouteflika. This sentencing was also ALGERIA connected to the publishing of cartoons in 2003 which were critical of president Bouteflika and his 2004 re-election campaign. *Djamaldine Main Case BENCHENOUF: journalist with the newspaper Liberté was sentenced Mohammed BENCHICOU: director of the private daily newspaper Le in absentia to three years in prison for articles he had written concerning Matin. Sentences: 1) two years’ imprisonment 2) 3 months in prison 3) 2 embezzlement within the National Social Insurance Fund and the months in prison Arrest: apprehended on 23 August 2003 on his return General Union of Algerian Workers. WiPC trying to confirm exact date from France. CASE I – Charges: Benchicou was found guilty of currency of sentencing but believed to be during May 2005. exchange control violations for being in possession of credit notes issued by an Algerian bank on his return from France. Free expression organisa- Sentenced: now free tions question whether he did indeed break any laws.