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
Under ThreatUsman Khan
Journalist, Online CommentatorPakistanAsia-PacificThe home of Usman Khan, known not only for his extensive journalistic coverage but also his active social media commentary, was raided three times in 2024 — on July 31, August 2, and August 5 — for his journalistic activities. Despite a mix of uniformed and plainclothes officers attempting to…
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Continued HarassmentUthaya Sankar SB
Journalist, Literary writer, Online CommentatorMalaysiaAsia-PacificWriter and columnist Uthaya was taken in for investigation on April 11, 2022, and arrested for making a Facebook post on April 6 that allegedly insulted Prophet Muhammad. He was released a day later on bail. An investigation into him continues on charges of causing disharmony on grounds of religion…
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Conditional ReleaseVafa Ahmadpour
Singer/SongwriterIranMiddle East and North AfricaAhmadpour is a rapper whose work engages with political themes. On February 4, 2024, he turned himself in to the authorities after a year spent in hiding. He had received threats from the authorities after he dedicated works to fallen protesters. He was temporarily released on bail after two weeks.…
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Recorded HarassmentVairamuthu Ramasamy
Literary writer, Poet, Singer/SongwriterIndiaAsia-PacificTamil poet and lyricist Vairamuthu became the target of widespread protests in 2018 after making controversial comments that linked the 7th-century female mystic poet Andal to the Devadasi community, which is historically associated with sex slavery. Vairamuthu issued a public apology, stating he did not intend to offend anyone. Additionally,…
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ImprisonedValeria Kostyugova
Journalist, Literary writer, Online Commentator, ScholarBelarusEurope and Central AsiaPolitical analyst and writer Kostyugova is editor of the online community Our Opinion and its annual publication Belarusian Yearbook. In June 2021, she was detained in a home raid and later charged with baseless crimes including “conspiracy” with the aim of “seizing state power.” Her trial began in February 2023,…
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Continued HarassmentValery Garbuzov
Journalist, Literary writer, ScholarRussiaEurope and Central AsiaOn August 29, 2023, historian and political scientist Valery Garbuzov published a column in Nezavisimaya Gazeta criticizing Russian imperialist ideology. On September 1, 2023, he was subsequently removed from his position at the Russian Academy of Sciences in response to the article. A few days later, Garbuzov wrote a follow-up…
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ReleasedVen. Ngawang Phulchung
Activist, Literary writerChina/Tibet Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificA Tibetan monk, Ngawang led the Drepung printing group, secret producer of pro-independence literature in the late ’80s. Upon discovery of the group, Ngawang was sentenced to 19 years in prison where he suffered torture and inhumane treatment. He was released in 2007.
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Conditional ReleaseVernon Gonsalves
Literary writer, Online Commentator, ScholarIndiaAsia-PacificIn August 2018, Gonsalves was arrested on politically motivated charges of incitement to violence along with other leftist writer-activists connected to the Bhima Koregaon case in a coordinated raid. For five years, he was detained awaiting trial while his bail pleas were rejected, even as he contracted dengue fever in…
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Continued HarassmentVicky Xu
Creative artist, Journalist, Literary writerChinaAsia-PacificXu is a comedian and journalist who wrote for the New York Times from Bejing. She has faced multiple instances of harassment in China due to her reporting on the Uyghur people. She moved to Australia but continues to receive threats, which she describes as “psychological torture.” Xu authored the…
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.