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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ImprisonedUcha Abashidze
Activist, Online CommentatorGeorgiaEurope and Central AsiaUcha Abashidze is a pro-Ukranian military blogger and activist against the Foreign Agents Law. On May 4, 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs began investigating him for “cyber attacks.” On May 9, Aashidze was arrested for illegal weapons possessions. His lawyer argued that the charges were fabricated to suppress his…
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ReleasedUladzimir Liankevich
Poet, TranslatorBelarusEurope and Central AsiaA project manager at PEN Belarus, Liankevich was detained at a peaceful protest in Minsk on September 8, 2020, after the election of Aleksander Lukashenka. He was sentenced during an unfair trial to six days in jail for allegedly violating orders related to mass events. He later told contacts he…
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Displaced/In ExileUladzimir Matskevich
Literary writer, ScholarBelarusEurope and Central AsiaMatskevich is a philosopher who was arrested in a home raid on August 4, 2021 and detained in restrictive conditions, justified by the authorities’ claims that he is “prone to extremism.” He underwent a hunger strike in February 2022 to protest his detention. On June 23, 2022, he was sentenced…
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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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ReleasedVafa 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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ReleasedValeria 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…
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.