Writers Released Under Amnesty
PEN International welcomes the release of several dissident writers as part of a presidential amnesty announced on June 2, 2011. Protestors had called for the release of all political… More
Writer and Journalist Released
PEN International welcomes the release on July 11, 2011, of writer and journalist Abbas Al- Murshid, who had been held since May 15, 2011, for his peaceful dissident activities. More
Poet Released
PEN International welcomes the release on July 13, 2011, of poet and student Ayat Al-Gormezi (f), one month after she was sentenced to one year in prison on anti-state… More
Journalist Qi Chonghuai Sentenced to A Further Eight Years
PEN International protests the additional eight-year sentence handed down to freelance journalist Qi Chonghuai on June 9, 2011, two weeks before the end of his four-year sentence for extortion… More
Two Journalists Sentenced
International PEN is seriously concerned by the conviction of freelance journalists Qi Chonghuai and He Yanjie, who were convicted and sentenced to four and two years in prison respectively… More
Lydia Cacho Threatened with Death; Fears for Safety
PEN International is deeply alarmed by anonymous death threats received by author and journalist Lydia Cacho on June 14, 2011, and by the Mexican authorities’ apparent lack of response. More
Artist Ai Weiwei Faces Enormous Fines
On June 28, 2011, it was reported that Ai Weiwei, the internationally acclaimed artist who had been freed on bail a week earlier, had been visited by government tax… More
Two Journalists Detained Incommunicado Without Charge
PEN International protests the incommunicado detention of Awramba Times Deputy Editor Woubshet Taye and Feteh columnist Reeyot Alemu, who were arrested on June 19 and 21, 2011 respectively. More
BBC Journalist Charged
PEN International protests the indictment of journalist Urinboy Usmonov on charges believed to be linked to his legitimate activities as a journalist. More
Activist and Blogger Abdul-Jalil Alsingace Sentenced to Life Imprisonment
PEN International is shocked by the life sentence handed down to academic and human rights activist Dr. Abdul-Jalil Alsingace on June 22, 2011, for his peaceful opposition activities. More