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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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. In a secret trial held by the Intermediate People’s Court of Urumqi, Ablimit was sentenced between three and eight years in…
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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, a prominent Uyghur publisher and writer, was arrested in July 2018 on suspicion of involvement in separatism and religious extremism. 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. As…
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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, in which he said “I have never been abused.” Some believe it was made through coercion. Heyit’s video sparked the #MeTooUyghur movement,…
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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 during a sweep of arrests in 2018 for his involvement in publishing books deemed “problematic” by the Chinese government for their “improper” political content. Since his detention, his whereabouts and current well-being remain unknown, with limited information on…
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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,…
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ImprisonedAblikim Kalkun
Creative artist, Singer/SongwriterChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificIn late 2019, Uyghur comedian and singer Kalkun was reportedly sentenced to 18 years in prison for performing songs deemed politically sensitive, despite the fact they were earlier approved by censors. Charges against him include “separatism,” “religious extremism,” and “discriminating against national education.” Prior to this, he had also been…
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DetainedAbliz Ömer
Editor, PublisherChina/Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous RegionAsia-PacificDuring a sweep of arrests at the Uyghur-run Kashgar Publishing House, Ömer, a retired editor-in-chief, was arrested for his involvement in publishing books deemed “problematic” by the Chinese government due to their “improper” political content. His health significantly deteriorated after his arrest. Since then, his whereabouts and current wellbeing remain…
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.