When the Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International Was Formed In
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
When the Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International was formed in 1960, we were a committee of three individuals campaigning on behalf of 56 imprisoned writers, in Albania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, France and Romania. The Committee itself now comprises more than 70 PEN centres, and the 2014 WiPC case list contains the names of some 900 writers, journalists, publishers, editors, bloggers under threat in every region of the world. The WiPC has published a formal case list for more than 20 years, usually updating it every six months. We are now publishing an annual case list and, when resources permit, we will move to an online database. The case list is the bible for PEN's freedom of expression work on behalf of individual writers. It’s an invaluable research tool for PEN centres and other organizations; it is also a unique historical document, the record of PEN’s work over decades in some of the world's most repressive regimes. But the case list is not only a catalogue of names; it is an account of charges, imputed crimes and sentences: defamation, splittism, terrorism, incitement, disturbing public order, subversion of state powers, insulting the state, the people, the King, the Sultan, religious leaders, "waging war against God." The case list is the basis of our campaigning against repressive regimes that threaten, incarcerate and kill writers, and many PEN centres use it to identify individuals to adopt as honorary members for whom they engage in sustained and long-term support of many different kinds. So it is essential that we are as precise and accurate as possible. In 2013, we revised the categorisations of cases and the format of the entries; the WiPC staff has made considerable effort to make the approach standard across all the regions. In cases where we knew of releases or deaths of individual writers at the time of preparation of the entries, that information was added in square brackets at the end. However, there have subsequently been releases which are not reflected in these entries, so please do check with London research staff for the latest information on any individual case. But freedom of expression work is not static. Especially in the digital age, information comes in literally every minute, the story changes, the danger shifts. When PEN began its defence of imprisoned writers, the crimes were texts, written, published, printed, a poem, an essay, a novel. In recent years, almost half of the transgressions for which writers were punished have been fragments of digital information, a Tweet, a file sent electronically, an email caught in the relentless surveillance routinely undertaken by both regimes and democracies. Over the next few years, we will move to a different system for building the case list. An annual list like this one will stand as a permanent record, but it will be supplemented by a more dynamic online database, which can be updated frequently, and which will allow us much more scope to analyse the wealth of information captured in the case list which will inform and improve our campaigning. One of the fundamental principles in PEN's work is the naming of names. The WiPC case list has been, for thousands of individuals over almost 60 years, the document that says: this person exists, this person is not forgotten. Marian Botsford Fraser Chair Writers in Prison Committee PEN International September 2015 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 Chabane 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 1. Explanation of terms PEN International promotes literature and freedom of expression and is governed by the PEN 2. List of cases by country 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 Africa 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 The Americas 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 Asia and the Pacific and Associate Status at UNESCO. PEN International is a registered charity in England and Wales with registration number 1117088. www.pen-international.org Europe Middle East and North Africa 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 3. List of Centres with Honorary Members 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 4. Case statistics 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 The Writers in Prison Committee of PEN International records of persecuted writers are service in which national, regional and international organisations involved in the campaign for updated daily. For up-to-date information on a particular country (or countries), contact the free expression pool information and amplify each others’ voices. For further details see the PEN International secretariat in London. 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 The last report was dated December 2013 PEN members 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 – A writer or journalist killed in the period of this case list. PEN is certain the individual Including individuals facing charges, appealing sentence, but not currently detained was a writer/journalist targeted for their writing or imprisoned – A writer or journalist killed in this period, but it is unclear if the PEN has no position on the criminal charges against the writer/journalist in individual was targeted for their writings question but is concerned about reported irregularities in the trial or legal process or about torture allegations or the death penalty 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 will be recorded as a brief detention where they were held for over 48 hours, taken place but the individual is released without charge.