Pen International Caselist of Persecuted Writers
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PEN INTERNATIONAL CASELIST OF PERSECUTED WRITERS January-June 2016 PEN International Koops Mill Mews 162-164 Abbey Street London WC1V 6ER United Kingdom Tel: + 44 020 74050338 Fax: + 44 020 74050339 e-mail: [email protected] web site: www.pen-international.org 0 PEN INTERNATIONAL CHARTER The PEN Charter was approved at the 1948 PEN Congress in Copenhagen. 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 PEN 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. PEN 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. PEN 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 PEN is open to all qUalified writers, editors and translators who sUbscribe to these aims, withoUt regard to nationality, ethnic origin, langUage, coloUr or religion. 1 PEN INTERNATIONAL’s Freedom to Write Programme 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, inclUding joUrnalists, novelists, poets, songwriters, essayists, translators, bloggers, social media Users – in short, anyone persecUted for their Use of the written word. 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, as well as helping to obtain updated information which continues to shine a spotlight on egregious violations of the right to freedom of expression. PEN also assists in the provision of emergency relief to persecuted writers, inclUding small one-off grants throUgh the PEN Emergency FUnd, temporary relocation provided throUgh a close relationship with the International Cities of RefUge Network (ICORN) and some Centres, as well as advice and support for asylUm applications. For more information, contact Cathy. [email protected]. Information sources PEN International gathers its information for the Case List and campaigning action 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 supporters who include: the Swedish International Development Foundation, the Norwegian Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Fritt Ord Foundation, the Evan Cornish Foundation as well as individual donations and membership fees from PEN Centres and its Circles. 2 CONTENTS 1. Explanation of terms 5 2. List of cases by coUntry Africa 7 The Americas 51 Asia and the Pacific 104 Europe and Central Asia 185 Middle East and North Africa 270 3. List of Centres with Honorary Members 342 PEN International records of persecuted writers are updated regularly. For up-to-date information on a particular country (or countries), contact the PEN International secretariat in London. The details in this Case List are current up to 30 June 2016; in some cases more recent information is also included. The last report was dated December 2015 and is available at http://www.pen- international.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/CASE-LIST-January-December-2015.pdf 3 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 EXECUTED: ExecUted by the state after a death sentence was imposed by a coUrt for freedom of expression ‘offences’. Does not inclUde execUtions of writers for criminal offences Unless there were fair trial concerns. DEATH IN CUSTODY: Writer died in cUstody (including in hospital while Under gUard) in circumstances where treatment in prison is believed to have contribUted to death (eg tortUre or lack of medical care) 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 4 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