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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Recorded HarassmentGorki Águila
Creative artist, Singer/SongwriterCubaAmericasA Cuban rock musician and outspoken critic of communism, Águila has been banned from performing in public. He was arrested in 2008 on the charge of “dangerousness” in what was thought to be an effort to silence his criticism, but was released without jail time. In recent years, he has…
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MurderedGovind Pansare
Literary writerIndiaAsia-PacificGovind Pansare, a politician and writer, was shot on February 16, 2015, and died four days later. His murder investigation implicated the right-wing group Sanatan Sanstha and was linked to the killings of other activists, including Narendra Dabholkar. Twelve suspects have been arrested, but there has been no official resolution…
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ConvictedGözde Bedeloğlu
JournalistTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaOn December 6, 2023, Turkish journalist Gözde Bedeloğlu’s trial began after nationalist MHP politician Sermet Akay filed a complaint against her for her April 9, 2023 column, “From Yesterday to Today: Those Who Protect the State.” A hearing was held on February 2, 2024, during which the prosecution requested a…
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Recorded HarassmentGrigory Pasko
Journalist, ScholarRussiaEurope and Central AsiaSince 1997, Pasko has faced repeated charges of treason for his reporting. In 2016 while traveling to Barnaul train local journalists, Pasko was met with an aggressive pattern of harassment including surveillance, state monitoring of his training, and physical assault.
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ImprisonedGui Minhai
Literary writer, Poet, PublisherChinaAsia-PacificGui Minhai, a Swedish citizen and Hong Kong resident, is co-owner of the Mighty Current publishing house, as well as a writer, publisher, and former Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) Board member. Gui disappeared from his beach house in Thailand on October 17, 2015, and later resurfaced in mainland China;…
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MurderedGuillermo Fernández García
Poet, TranslatorMexicoAmericasAcclaimed poet and translator Fernández García was bound and killed at his home in Toluca, Mexico, in April 2012. The motive for his murder remains unknown. Despite the case being referred to Mexico’s attorney general, the investigation has stalled, and the office has seemingly shelved it. Over the years, there…
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Recorded ThreatGuillermo Sheridan
Journalist, Literary writer, ScholarMexicoAmericasIn July 2019, Sheridan, a scholar, columnist for El Universal, public commentator, and literary critic, received a death threat in a letter delivered to his home. In January 2023, Sheridan was granted federal protection due to repeated violent threats due to an article he wrote accusing Mexican Supreme Court Justice…
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On TrialGulgeç Akdeniz
Literary writer, PoetTürkiyeEurope and Central AsiaGulgeç Akdeniz is a literary writer who has published three books in Kurdish. She was arrested on July 25, 2019 during raids across Bitlis province in eastern Türkiye. On December 3, 2020 she was sentenced to six years and three months in prison on charges of “being a member of…
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ImprisonedGulmira Imin
Journalist, PoetChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificGulmira Imin, a poet and Uyghur-language website moderator from Xinjiang, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010 for “splittism, leaking state secrets, and organizing an illegal demonstration.” In June 2021, her life sentence was reduced to 19 years and 8 months after she issued a statement of contrition, which activists…
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.