update ~ recent focus cases

˝ From message sent “to all activ- , - released ists” by Eynulla Fatullayev after his release: Banned Books Week 2008 &2010 Dear friends, In April 2007, after years of ha- I am a former prisoner of – Eynulla Fatullayev. The rassment — including beatings, other day I regained my cherished liberty, thanks to the efforts of threats and libel suits — by the the international community. I’m absolutely confident that it was Azerbaijani government, out- your support and tireless struggle for my rights that enabled me to spoken independent newspaper return to my life. … I was repeatedly transferred from one prison editor Eynulla Fətullayev (Fatul- into another, charged with absurd and inconceivable accusations. layev), began serving prison … I was between life and death. I witnessed much evil and bearers sentences totaling eight and a of evil. The evil was my daily routine … half years and for libel and other trumped-up charges. He had … Life in prison is suppressed, for the is eager to obliter- been convicted of defamation ate all signs of vitality and viability. after writing two articles that disputed the official account of However, it was you, my friends and saviors from the Amnesty In- the 1992 mass killings in the Na- ternational that kept alight the flame of hope in my soul. I received gorno-Karabakh region. And he messages from you while at the remotest places and desperate subsequently was convicted of situations. These messages gave comfort to my soul, inspired hope © Private terrorism charges for publishing in dead-end situations. Your campaign, your letters- they sustained an article that criticized Azerbai- hope in me, helped me out of the abyss of despair. Amnesty Inter- jan’s foreign policy decisions. national has once again proved its inestimable worth, its hope for salvation. On 26 May 2011, Eynulla Fatul- layev was released shortly after a I am grateful to you. You have saved my family from death, and I’ll presidential pardon and returned never forget you, to the end of my life. I was not alone in my prison, to his family home. in winter or summer, on dark or bright days. And again – it was Amnesty International that contributed to this. … Amnesty International still urg- es the Azerbaijani authorities to Thank you very much for your service to conscience and God, for quash his convictions, release conscience is God’s presence in us. all prisoners of conscience in Azerbaijan, and “end the re- I bow my head to you all. cent clampdown on dissenting voices, whether online or on the Yours respectfully, streets”. Eynulla Fatullayev

˝ J.S. Tissainayagam, SRI LANKA - free Banned Books Week 2008 & 2009

While at Harvard University as a Nieman Fellow following his June 2010 pardon, J.S. Tis- sainayagam spoke at the AI Northeast Regional Conference in 2010 and participated in a “ At Risk” workshop. Co-founder of the North East- ern Monthly, he had been de- tained in 2008 and sentenced to 20 years for allegedly “inciting communal disharmony” (report- ing about abuses by the military Kelly Turley, from AI Group 133 in Somerville, Massachusetts, directed against civilians during making a presentation to “Tissa” at the Northeast Regional the civil war in Sri Lanka). © Private Conference, Boston University, November 2010 12 update ~ recent focus cases

˝ ˝ Mohammad S. Kabudvand, - still imprisoned , IRAN - released again Banned Books Week 2009 Banned Books Week 2008 Kurdish defender Emadeddin Baghi, award-win- Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand is ning author of The Tragedy of still serving sentences totalling Democracy, has been arrested 10 1/2 years imposed since May repeatedly and has served a total 2008 for “acting against state se- of 5 years & 19 days in prison on curity by establishing an illegal various charges connected with group [the Human Rights Orga- his writing and human rights nization of Kurdistan]”. He also campaigning. The effects on his is facing other charges brought health have been dire. When he against him while in prison for was released again on 20 June his writings on women’s rights 2011, after serving two concur- and other human rights issues. rent one-year sentences for “pro- Poor prison conditions are paganda against the state”, he worsening his health problems, told other prisoners: “although and he reportedly suffered two I am going, half my existence is strokes in 2010. © Private still imprisoned with you”.

˝ ˝ Hengameh Shahidi, IRAN - furloughed Arzhang Davoodi, IRAN - still imprisoned Banned Books Week 2010 Banned Books Week 2006

Hengameh Shahidi, a Teacher, author, poet, and direc- and political activist serving a tor of television documentaries 6-year sentence in Evin prison Arzhang Davoodi, serving a 15-

while suffering from a heart © Private year prison sentence for peaceful condition, was granted a medi- expression of opinion, has been cal leave in May 2011, around tortured, deprived of medical the time of her 36th birthday. An treatment, and further punished earlier medical leave of absence with solitary confinement in ter- was cut short in mid-November rible conditions. He continues to 2010 with no explanation. Her protest Iranian prison conditions © Private health is said to be improving. (July 2011).

˝ ˝ Thich Quang Do, VIET NAM - confined , - killing unresolved Banned Books Week 1995 Banned Books Week 2007

Although released from prison in The arrest in on 31 a 1998 amnesty, the Most Vener- May 2011 of a suspect in the Oc- able Thich Quang Do, eminent tober 2006 murder of journalist scholar and writer and Supreme Anna Politkovskaya is a major Patriarch of the banned Unified step towards justice AI said. “An Buddhist Church of Viet Nam, is effective investigation into the under pagoda arrest since 2001 murder … remains a key bench- as a prisoner of conscience. De- mark to demonstrating that Rus- spite decades of restriction, he sia is willing and able to tackle has produced poems, novels, the violence against journalists anthologies, a dictionary, com- and human rights defenders.” mentary, and protest. A 2010 The accused and any alleged interview with him by the Oslo accomplices should have a fair Fellowship may be read in Eng- trial in proceedings that meet in- © Katja Tähjä lish at . ternational standards. 13 update ~ recent focus cases

˝ ˝ Chekib El-Khiari, MOROCCO - released , CHINA - still imprisoned Banned Books Week 2010 Banned Books Week 2006

As part of a wider amnesty that Journalist & poet Shi Tao is still commuted or shortened the sen- serving a 10-year prison sen- tences of 190 prisoners, follow- tence imposed in 2005 for “il- ing a memorandum submitted to legally providing state secrets King Mohamed by Morocco’s to foreign entities” (via Yahoo!) new National Human Rights concerning a Central Propagan- Council, journalist Chekib El- da Department communiqué on Khiari was pardoned on 14 April how journalists should handle 2011. He had been serving a the 15th anniversary of the 1989 three-year sentence for his June crackdown on the pro-democ- 2009 conviction on politically racy movement. To take further motivated charges apparently action, go to and click on Individuals At © AI level corruption. Risk.

˝ ˝ Yang Tongyan, CHINA - still imprisoned Liu Xiaobo, CHINA - still imprisoned Banned Books Week 2007 & 2008 Banned Books Week 2009

Having previously served a ten- “This is for the lost souls of year prison sentence for criticiz- June 4th,” said Liu Xiaobo — a ing the crackdown on the 1989 scholar, poet, literary critic, and pro-democracy movement, Yang former participant in the 1989 Tongyan, a freelance writer and pro-democracy movement — a member of the Independent after learning that he had been Chinese PEN Center, is con- awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace tinuing to serve a 2006 12-year Prize. Congratulating him, Am- sentence for “subversion of state nesty International called on the power”, in Nanjing Prison. His © Private Chinese authorities to release all health reportedly has worsened prisoners of conscience includ- during his time in prison and he is suffering from diabetes, arthritis ing Liu, who is serving an 11-year prison sentence. China did not and high blood pressure. allow him to travel to the award ceremony in Oslo.

˝ ˝ Kareem Amer, EGYPT - released Ribeiro, MEXICO - threatened again Banned Books Week 2007 Banned Books Week 2009

Prisoner of conscience Kareem Apparently in part because Amer (Abdel Kareem Nabil) of her books exposing a child was released on 17 November pornography ring and traffick- 2010, 12 days after completing a ing of women & girls, journal- four-year sentence for allegedly ist and criticizing then-President Muba- Lydia Cacho has received new rak, Egypt's al-Azhar religious death threats in the summer of authorities, and Islam in a blog. 2011 and has had to leave her AI urged impartial investigation home. No one has been brought of allegations that he was abused to justice for the acts of intimi- by Alexandria officials of State dation over several years. Security Investigations (SSI) in the days before his release. Photo © AI 14