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.
Filters
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Status
Recorded ThreatPedro Faro Navarro
Activist, PoetMexicoAmericasPoet, lawyer, and activist Navarro received anonymous death threats, one written in blood, after carrying out investigations into allegations of torture against prisoners. He reported the threats to the State of Chiapas, but no protective measures have been put in place. From 2015 to May 2022, he served as director…
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ImprisonedPema Rinchen
Literary writer, PoetChina/Tibet Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificAuthor and award-winning poet Rinchen disappeared in 2020 when he was contemplating writing a second book on Tibetan language and culture. His whereabouts were unknown for years until he was sentenced in September 2022 to four years in prison on charges of “inciting separatism,” and “endangering state security.” Prior to…
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ImprisonedPerhat Halmurat
Online Commentator, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificHalmurat, 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. He was sentenced in a 2014 secret trial to eight years in prison and has been held incommunicado since 2018. He was held in Turpan…
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ImprisonedPerhat Tursun
Literary writer, PoetChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificTursun is a renowned Uyghur writer known for his poetry, prose, and novels. His work, addressing themes of suicide, sexuality, and mental illness, led to accusations of being anti-Islamic in the late 1990s, resulting in death threats. He has been in detention since January 2018. In 2024, reports revealed that…
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DetainedPeyman Farahavar
PoetIranMiddle East and North AfricaFarahavar is a poet from Gilan known for his politically charged work addressing corruption, injustice, and environmental degradation. In August 2024, he was arrested and reportedly subjected to severe physical abuse during his detention, in connection with the themes of his poetry. He was charged with “propaganda against the regime”…
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ImprisonedPeyman Farhangian
Activist, Journalist, Literary writer, Online Commentator, PoetIranMiddle East and North AfricaPoet and activist Farhangian was first arrested in June 2020. He was initially sentenced to 38 years in prison on charged related to his commentary and creating a Telegram group. He was released but rearrested the next year, then released on bail. In November 2023, he was sentenced to a…
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ImprisonedPham Chi Dung
Journalist, Online CommentatorVietnamAsia-PacificFounder of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam and reporter for VOA, Pham was arrested in November 2019 for articles he wrote criticizing human rights by the government. On January 5, 2021, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison and convicted of making propaganda against the state under Article…
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ImprisonedPham Chi Thanh
Journalist, Literary writer, Online CommentatorVietnamAsia-PacificA member of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam, Pham Thanh is the author of several books and essays critical of government leaders. He was arrested on May 21, 2020 under Article 117 for materials against the state and was later temporarily transferred to a psychiatric facility without reason. On…
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ImprisonedPham Doan Trang
Activist, Journalist, Literary writer, Online CommentatorVietnamAsia-PacificA blogger, democracy activist, and non-fiction author, Trang resigned from the Liberal Publishing House in July 2020, citing security threats. In October 2020, she was detained on charges of making anti-state propaganda under Article 117. In December 2021, she was sentenced to 9 years in prison following over a year…
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.