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
Conditional ReleaseEmad Ghavidel
Creative artist, Singer/SongwriterIranMiddle East and North AfricaGhavidel, a rapper, was arrested at his workplace on October 26, 2022, allegedly for “inciting chaos.” He suffered ill treatment while in jail because of his identity as an artist. He was released on bail on November 4, 2022, and tweeted in December that he had been convicted on propaganda…
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ReleasedEmad Hajjaj
Creative artistJordanMiddle East and North AfricaHajjaj, a Jordanian-Palestinian cartoonist, was arrested by Jordanian authorities over a cartoon mocking the Israel–United Arab Emirates deal on August 26, 2020. On August 30, he was released on bail but was awaiting the verdict from the Supreme Court, and was facing up to two years in prison. on January…
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On TrialEman Al-Nafjan
Activist, Journalist, Online CommentatorSaudi ArabiaMiddle East and North AfricaColumnist Al-Nafjan was detained in May 2018 in relation to her women’s rights advocacy. While in prison, she was reportedly sexually harassed and severly beaten. She was granted temporary release in March 2019, but remains confined to her house and on trial.
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Conditional ReleaseEmel Yeşilırmak
Creative artist, Singer/SongwriterTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaYeşilırmak is a member of activist collective and band Grup Yorum, whose critical songs have angered the Turkish government and members have faced serious threats. She was detained in February 2019 and was expected to be released in September 2020, but was kept in detention. She was released in October…
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Emel Yeşilırmak Grup Yorum
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Status
ConvictedEmre Günsal
Creative artistTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaComedian Günsal was arrested in Istanbul in April 2020 for content written for his stand-up show that allegedly insulted Türkiye’s first president Kemal Atatürk and prominent figures in the city of Konya. He was investigated and released after 11 days of detention. On January 28, 2021, he was sentenced to…
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ConvictedEmre Orman
JournalistTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaIn October 2019, Orman was arrested for online criticism of Türkiye’s invasion of southwestern Kurdistan. He was charged with spreading terrorist propaganda and released weeks later on appeal. Convicted in February 2020, he received a deferred sentence of 1.5 years in prison. He was arrested in a police raid on…
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ReleasedEmre Soncan
Journalist, Literary writer, Online CommentatorTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaForeign military affairs correspondent and author Soncan was arrested in a purge of suspected followers of exiled preacher Fethullah Gülen, who was blamed for the July 2016 attempted coup. In 2018, he was sentenced to seven years in jail on terrorism charges. In September 2021, he was released from prison.
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Continued HarassmentEnder Imrek
JournalistTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaA columnist and political party founder and leader, Imrek has been legally harassed and imprisoned multiple times throughout the years. He went on trial in October 2022 for insulting the President, and was acquitted on January 10, 2023.
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.