Writers at Risk Database
PEN America champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. The bedrock work of the global PEN network is advocacy and assistance on behalf of individuals persecuted for their use of the written word or other forms of expression. PEN America’s Writers at Risk Database is a searchable catalog of the writers, journalists, academics, public intellectuals and others under threat around the world. The database includes historical cases PEN America has worked on from 1987 onwards; non-active cases are color-coded black. PEN America is grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for support that enabled the establishment of the Writers at Risk Database and to PEN International for their collaboration in assembling this database.
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ImprisonedLuo Yuwei
Online Commentator, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificLuo, a student of Ilham Tohti, was arrested for his involvement with Tohti’s website Uyghurbiz, which aimed to promote understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. In 2014, he made a most likely forced televised confession from prison to state-run media where he stated that he worked for the website. He…
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ImprisonedGulmira Imin
Journalist, PoetChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificGulmira Imin, a poet and Uyghur-language website moderator from Xinjiang, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010 for “splittism, leaking state secrets, and organizing an illegal demonstration.” In June 2021, her life sentence was reduced to 19 years and 8 months after she issued a statement of contrition, which activists…
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ImprisonedOmerjan Hasan
Journalist, Literary writerChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificHasan, also known as “Bozqir” published essays, short stories, and articles aimed at the promotion of equal civil and political rights for Uyghurs. In April 2016, he was arrested and reportedly sentenced to fifteen years in prison. Hasan was also the administrator of the popular Uyghur language website “Bozqir.” No…
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ImprisonedRahile Dawut
Literary writer, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificDawut, whose academic research focuses on Uyghur folklore and Islamic sacred sites across Xinjiang, was reportedly last heard from in December 2017. She was tried in 2018 on “splittism” charges and convicted. She later appealed the court’s decision but the appeal was rejected. After years of rumors about her sentencing,…
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ImprisonedMutellip Imin
Online Commentator, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificMutellip Imin, a student of Ilham Tohti, was arrested for his involvement with Tohti’s website Uyghurbiz, which aimed to promote mutual understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. In 2014, he was sentenced in a secret trial to a lengthy prison term. Since 2018, he has been held incommunicado, with his…
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ImprisonedAblet Abdureshid Berqi
Journalist, Literary writer, Poet, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificBerqi, an author, teacher, and poet, has been writing since 1988. His work was published in numerous newspapers and magazines and his collection of poems, including “Girl’s Season,” essays and novels are widely acclaimed. Berqi was detained in 2017 for articles he wrote about economic awareness in Xinjiang. In 2020,…
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DetainedAbdurahman Abey
PublisherChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificAbey, a prominent Uyghur publisher and writer, was arrested in July 2018 on suspicion of involvement in separatism and religious extremism. A Communist Party official, Abey had worked in writing and publishing for forty years, serving as the director of the official Xinhua Bookstore and Xinjiang People’s Publishing House. As…
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ImprisonedAkbar Imin
Online Commentator, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificImin, a student of Ilham Tohti, was arrested for his involvement with Tohti’s website Uyghurbiz, which aimed to promote understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. In a secret trial in 2014, he was sentenced to 25 years for “forming a mafia group.” He has been held incommunicado since 2018. Although…
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ImprisonedQasim Sidiq
Poet, Scholar, Singer/SongwriterChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificQasim Sidiq was detained by authorities in March 2017, and his whereabouts remained unknown until nearly four years later, when his detention was confirmed. According to a Radio Free Asia source, his song lyrics from over 15 years ago were used as “evidence” to charge him with “ethnic hatred.” He…
Writers at Risk Database Key:
STATUS box that is red: Active case
STATUS box that is black: Inactive case
Funder
PEN America is deeply grateful to the John Templeton Foundation for its generous support of the Freedom to Write Index and Writers at Risk Database.
Partner
PEN America thanks the PEN International Secretariat and the Writers in Prison Committee for their extensive contributions to and collaboration on compiling the cases included in this database.