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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Status
Abdulselam Kilgi Selamo
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Status
ImprisonedAbduqeyum Ablimit
Online Commentator, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificAblimit, one of Ilham Tohti’s students, was arrested from his home in 2014 for his involvement with the website Uyghurbiz, which promotes ethnic understanding between Uyghurs and Han Chinese. Authorities have refused to release information regarding Ablimit since 2018.
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Recorded HarassmentAbdur Rahim
Poet, ScholarIndiaAsia-PacificRahim is one of the “Miya” (Bengali-language Muslim) poets charged in July 2019 after the online publication of a poem by Hafiz Ahmed that authorities claimed promoted sectarian enmity in the state of Assam. On July 17, 2019, all ten poets were granted anticipatory bail.
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DetainedAbdurahman Abey
PublisherChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificAbey was arrested in July 2018 on suspicion of involvement in separatism and religious extremism, and his current whereabouts are unknown. A Communist Party official, Abey had worked in writing and publishing for forty years, serving as the director of the official Xinhua Bookstore and Xinjiang People’s Publishing House.
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DisappearedAbdurehim Heyit
Poet, Singer/SongwriterChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificHeyit, who performs Uyghur folk songs on traditional instruments, disappeared in 2017 and was rumored to be dead. In 2019, a video was released of Heyit in custody. Some believe it was made through coercion; in the video he affirms, “I have never been abused.” Heyit’s video sparked the #MeTooUyghur…
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ImprisonedAblajan Awut Ayup
Creative artist, Singer/SongwriterChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificAward-winning musician Ablajan is known for promoting Uyghur culture and identity while building a bridge with Han Chinese culture through his bilingual songs. His pop-influenced music drawing on Uyghur cultural traditions has been popular among youth and children. He was arrested and detained in February 2018. In December 2022, information…
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DetainedAblajan Siyit
Editor, PublisherChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificSiyit, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Uyghur-run Kashgar Publishing House, was detained in a sweep of arrests in 2018 for his role in the publication of books deemed “problematic” for their “improper” political content.
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ImprisonedAblet Abdureshid Berqi
Journalist, Literary writer, Poet, ScholarChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificBerqi, an author, teacher, and poet, has been writing since 1988. His work was published in numerous newspapers and magazines and his collection of poems, including “Girl’s Season,” essays and novels are widely acclaimed. Berqi was detained in 2017 for articles he wrote about economic awareness in Xinjiang. In 2020,…
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.