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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ConvictedFaramarz Sehdehi
Online Commentator, PoetIranMiddle East and North AfricaSehdehi is a poet and a member of the Iranian Writers’ Association who has published hundreds of poems since the 1970s. He has been interrogated and censored in the past for his work. In April 2022, he was charged with “propaganda against the regime” for his poetry and social media…
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Conditional ReleaseFardin Mostafei
Journalist, Online CommentatorIranMiddle East and North AfricaFardin Mostafaei is a Kurdish journalist and news agency director who also runs a Telegram channel covering local news, culture, and Kurdish issues. In November 2023, Mostafaei was summoned by the authorities for “propaganda” and “disturbing the public mind.” On September 18, 2024, he was arrested for unknown charges in…
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ImprisonedFarhan Al-Shilaqi
Online CommentatorSaudi ArabiaMiddle East and North AfricaFarhan Al-Shilaqi is a Saudi online commentator and retired SABIC employee who was arrested on November 26, 2022 over tweets expressing political and cultural opinions. In March 2024, the Specialised Criminal Court sentenced him to 15 years in prison for peaceful expression of views related to regional politics and heritage.…
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Recorded HarassmentFarhat Khan
Literary writer, ScholarIndiaAsia-PacificDr. Khan wrote Collective Violence and Criminal Justice System, a book first published in 2015. Her publisher received complaints about some parts of the book being controversial, which led to the pages being taken out. In December 2022, a student complained about her for allegedly teaching “anti-Hindu” content. She was…
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Conditional ReleaseFariba Adelkhah
Literary writer, ScholarIranMiddle East and North AfricaFrench-Iranian anthropologist Adelkhah was detained in June 2019 while visiting Iran to conduct research. In May 2020, she was sentenced to six years on propaganda and national security charges. She was released in October 2020 into house arrest, but was reimprisoned in 2022 for allegedly violating the rules of her…
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ImprisonedFarid Mehralizada
JournalistAzerbaijanEurope and Central AsiaMehralizada is an economist who has criticized Azerbaijan’s use of fossil fuels. He was arrested in May 2024 ahead of the COP29 protests and remanded to pretrial detention. In August, he was charged with smuggling, illegal entrepreneurship, tax evasion, and falsifying documents. He is currently on trial. He previously wrote…
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ReleasedFarshid Ghorbanpour
Journalist, Literary writer, Online Commentator, TranslatorIranMiddle East and North AfricaA columnist, literary writer, and online commentator, Ghorbanpour was arrested at his home on September 25, 2022. Security forces pepper sprayed him and beaten him before taking him into custody without a warrant. He was released on December 7, 2022. His arrest was condemned by press freedom groups, and his…
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Conditional ReleaseFatemeh Hasani
Online Commentator, ScholarIranMiddle East and North AfricaFatemeh Hasani is a sociologist who wrote multiple academic articles as well as several non-academic publications. Upon returning to Iran from a trip abroad, Hasani was arrested at Mashhad airport on July 6, 2023 in connection with her political commentary on the social platform Clubhouse. Hasani’s arrest is reportedly part…
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Conditional ReleaseFatih Altayli
JournalistTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaFatih Altayli is a journalist, columnist, and television presenter. In June 2025, Altayli was investigated for “threats against the president” due to comments made in a YouTube video. He was detained in June 2025. In November 2025, after spending months in detention, Altayli was sentenced to 4 years and 2…
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.