Writer Detained; Fears for Safety
Najati Tayara, a writer and editor who was covering the protests currently taking place across Syria, is being held incommunicado as of May 12, 2011. More
Journalists, Bloggers, and Writers Detained, Fears for Safety
There have been several killings, mass arrests, and disappearances of civilians, including several journalists, bloggers, writers, and activists in the crackdown on peaceful anti-government protests, which have been taking… More
Journalist ‘Ali Al-‘Abdullah Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison
Writer, journalist, and activist ‘Ali al-‘Abdullah has been handed down an 18-month sentence on March 13, 2011, for “harming Syria's relations with a foreign country.” More
Blogger and Poet Sentenced
Blogger, poet, and high school student Tal Al-Mallouhi was handed down a five-year sentence on February 14, 2011, on the charge of "divulging information to a foreign state." More
Continued Detention of Journalist ‘Ali Al-‘Abdullah
Journalist ‘Ali al-‘Abdullah, whose two-and-a-half-year sentence for his dissident writings and peaceful opposition activities expired in June 2010, now faces new charges of "disseminating false information" for an article… More
Lawyer and Writer Attacked; Fears for Safety
Lawyer and writer Muhannad al-Hassani, who is serving a three-year prison sentence in Adra prison, Damascus, for his human rights work and writings, was attacked and severely beaten on… More
Blogger Charged; Fears for Safety
International PEN is seriously concerned about the detention of Tal Al-Mallouhi, a 19-year-old blogger, poet, and high school student, who is reportedly facing charges of espionage. She has been… More
Novelist Arrested; Fears of Ill-Treatment
International PEN is seriously concerned by the arrest of writer Raghdah Sa’id Hassan on February 10, 2010, after writing her first novel. Since then, she has been held incommunicado… More
Writer and Academic Aref Dalila Released
International PEN welcomes the release of Dr. Aref Dalila, leading economist, writer, and dissident, who was freed on August 7, 2008, after seven years in prison. More