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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Jamyang, a blogger and writer who has written on free speech, environmental issues, and social movements, was arrested in 2015 and sentenced in 2016 to seven and a half years in prison for “leaking state secrets.” He was reportedly denied access to a lawyer during his trial and was held…
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In response to a satirical tweet involving President Jair Bolsonaro, writer and filmmaker Cuenca has faced over 140 targeted and costly lawsuits from state officials and religious leaders, demanding damages of over a million Brazilian reals.
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Cuixart is a Catalan poet who advocates for the region’s independence. In October 2019, Cuixart, already detained, received a nine-year prison sentence and ban on holding office for sedition. In early 2021, he was partially released from prison. On June 22, 2021, Cuixart was pardoned, yet activists in Catalonia urged…
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Sànchez is a Catalan writer who advocates for the region’s independence. In October 2019, Sànchez, already detained, received a nine-year prison sentence and a ban on holding office for sedition. In early 2021, he was partially released from prison. On June 22, 2021, Sànchez was pardoned, yet activists in Catalonia…
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A freelance journalist, poet, and cultural promoter, Rodríguez was arrested on June 28, 2020 for “contempt of authority” hours after posting on Facebook about the murder of Hansel Ernesto Hernández, a young Black man killed by the police. The next day, he was transferred to the Vivac Detention center until…
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Journalist Castillo was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2003, and wrote poetry and fiction while in prison. He was released after 18 months due to health. After time abroad, he returned to harassment and arbitrary arrest in Cuba. In January 2021, he left Cuba in exile.
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Journalist and author Ramos was arrested with his team after conducting an abruptly suspended interview with President Maduro of Venezuela in February 2019. They were detained by government officials, who took their cameras and phones to keep the interview from being aired.
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In May 2019, Bello recited his poem “Dear America,” inspired by his first-hand experience in Mesa Verde detention facility, at a local forum. Less than 36 hours later, he was re-arrested in apparent retaliation for his poem by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for a purported violation of his bond.…
Writers at Risk Database Key:
STATUS box that is red: Active case
STATUS box that is black: Inactive case
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.
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.